A WereHunter's story : Jasyn's story
by DazedInReality
Summary: Jasyn Kallinos is a merciless slayer,he lives for nothing and feels for no one, yet when Dr. Emily McLean rushes headfirst into his world he is forced to help her, for she could threaten the very existence of the entire Were-Hunter world.
1. Chapter 1

Emily McLean paused inside the door of her apartment and eyed the two suitcases and duffel bags; she flicked her eyes to the light spilling in from the open archway that lead to the kitchen. Closing the door as quietly as possible and with movements' equally as quiet and deliberate, she removed her rain coat and laid it, along with her keys and briefcase on the side table by the door.

"Edward?" she called out, her voice reflecting her nerves. The elation at finding out she had landed the job of her dreams, working as an expert in the most prestigious department of Zoology, with the most renowned doctors in that field, gradually dissipated in the wake of sudden overwhelming apprehension. Emily peeked slowly around the wall and saw her long term boyfriend Edward Leech, looking through the cupboards.

"Edward? Baby, what's going on?"

For reasons beyond her explanation, Emily always felt a fissure of unease go up her spine just before something was about to hit the fan. She had that ominous feeling for weeks now whilst around Edward, but had determinedly ignored it; she had promised herself that Edward would be the one she would spend her life with. He was to be her future husband, there was no way she would allow her spidey senses to ruin that.

Edward turned from the cupboard and faced Emily, his nondescript brown hair and waspishly, upper middle class handsome face looked serious and Emily's heart dropped. He was leaving her.

Emily blanked out slightly, the feeling was so surreal. He stood there in his Ralph Lauren beige slacks and Dior shirt, which even in that horrible moment Emily felt didn't look quite right together. He waffled out excuse after excuse, to which Emily could not quite muster the restraint to listen to quietly.

"I can't commit to someone with expectations as high as yours!" He whined. Emily felt her brows snap down in a dark frown before she could stop herself.

"When have I ever given you any indication that you aren't good enough? Hmm?" Emily snapped back, and Edward looked as if he were searching for an answer. "Name me one time that I have told you that you don't meet my expectations? Expectations, by the way, that I don't have! Try again, Edward!"

"I can't handle coming second place to your career, Emzie!" Edward snapped back and Emily had the urge to throw something at him and not only because he'd used a nickname she despised. She'd never realised Edward had such a selfish side

"We've been together for four years and just because the last three months I've come home late, you're leaving?" Emily said in disbelief. "This was only temporary, you knew that! But as soon as I don't pay you as much attention anymore you run!"

Edward had the grace to flush, he sighed and shrugged.

"It's taken until now to realise I … I just don't want you anymore, Emz."

Emily felt as if the wind had been kicked out of her, the wound it tore into her heart was a deep one and as much as she loathed it, a tear slid down her cheek and was seen before she could hasten it away with the back of her hand.

"Are you - Have you been seeing someone else?" Emily had to ask and it burned at it that she did. To be dumped was one thing but to be dumped for another woman! That really blows. Edward could not meet her eyes as he nodded and this time Emily could not stop herself, she blindly picked up the first thing at hand, which happened to be a cheese grater and threw it at Edward's head. He ducked with a very wimpy cry.

"See! This is what I'm talking about!" Edward yelled, bracing himself in case he had to dodge anything else. "You have to fight; you have to answer back all the god damn time! Why can't you just -"

"What? Be one of your pathetic submissive whores?" Emily screamed back and looked around for something else to throw, she still had enough of her wits about her not to reach for the knife block, but it was a near thing.

Later that night Emily sat by her window in her apartment, all alone. She sat by the window and looked down into the busy New York streets, the large glass of red wine held in her limp hand was forgotten, while her tears dried streaks on her face. Four years of her life had been wasted on what she realised was one of the most selfish men she'd ever met, how could she have been so blind to it? Edward had known that these three months were going to be full of hard work, her time and attention would have been temporarily centred on her job, in a way that they had never been before. He'd never voiced any objection to it, never indicated that the nights she had come home late were a bother to him.

Of course he wouldn't, Emily thought bitterly, he was probably banging one of his bitches in their bed while she had been working to secure a future for them and the potential family they would have eventually created.

Emily had briefly entertained the notion that perhaps it was all her fault, that if she phoned Edward and promised him to give her job up he would come back and they could play happy families again. But it was soon squashed, not only would her pride not allow her to crawl and beg for him to return, but she did not want to give up everything she had worked so hard for. Something she loved. If he had ever loved her he would not ask her to choose, he would have borne out the irritation of not having her to himself for a few months so they could have a wonderfully comfortable life together in the long run. God knew if it had been left to him and his ambitions of becoming an actor they would have been eating scraps from the back of the cupboard every night.

A movement near the window caught her eye; a peregrine falcon had landed on her sill, his beady eye watching her intently. Emily's brain began cataloguing and processing his size and shape and colouring, the way she did whenever she came across an animal. As a zoologist it was her job and also her passion. Emily smiled sadly, it was only Gruff. The falcons seemed to be attracted the architecture in New York and consequently nested among the buildings, Gruff had been a long time companion of Emily's on nights when she couldn't rest. Of late she had found her hormones rather too erratic though, not that throwing a cheese grater at Edward was totally out of the ordinary, but lots of things felt different. Physically she felt itchy, restless and sometimes achy; also her sex drive had taken a sudden increase. Emily gave a twisted smile; Edward was definitely going to miss that. Gruff took flight and soared into the night leaving Emily once again alone, and feeling lonelier then ever. She hummed a sad 'happy birthday' to herself and looked up at the clock, she had been twenty five for three hours and eleven minutes, she took another overly large gulp of wine and it trickled down her chin. Emily sighed and rose to go to bed but abruptly doubled over as if in pain, Emily clutched her rib where she felt as if she had a searing, stitch from having run a marathon. Her bones in her legs, especially her shins were aching, her mouth too. Her gums and teeth … Places that could not be held and rubbed better ached and pained along with the rest of her body, Emily whimpered, wondering what on earth was wrong with her.

She threw a malevolent glare at the wine bottle, which, incidentally, was Edward's; she had just refused to give it back to him. The bastard had probably known she would have been vindictive about being dumped and poisoned it.

Emily felt like she was having a seizure and convulsed so violently that she was thrown on to her back, she let out a inhuman scream that sounded more like the screech of a bird as a sharp pain shot down her spine and passed out. A few hours later, Emily opened her eyes, stood up and spread her wings, strangely calmer then anyone would think themselves at finding out they had transformed into a hawk.

*******************************************

Jasyn opened his eyes and stretched his wings, he ignored the window and the dying light shining through, his body clock was more accurate then any other kind. It told him dusk was upon him and his shift downstairs in the Sanctuary bar was going to start. Unfolding himself from his positioned, Jasyn swooped down from his spot on the rafters and transformed in mid air, changing from hawk to a lethal looking man, who's masculine beauty was enough to make most women, and men, pant for mercy. Jasyn made his way to the shower, though he spurned all things human, he reluctantly admitted that showering always felt good on his human flesh.

Once done, he made his way down into the bar. He ignored Margie who was working the bar, nodded to Dev who was playing bouncer at the doors of Sanctuary. He registered some of the looks he got from a few of the human women at the bar, gave a one or two himself, he turned his back on the bar with a cruel twist on his lips that should have been a smile if it wasn't so menacing. He had enough male ego to relish the hormonal devastation he wreaked on a woman's body, the way they would stare blindly in love at their boyfriend one minute and the next be making obscene sexual gestures to him behind the poor saps back the next. He didn't trust women and he detested humans. How he had stayed so long at Sanctuary was anyone's guess.

Jasyn took up his position guarding the doors that led through to the Peltier house at the back of the bar, where the family of Were bears and all their lodgers resided. Jasyn was just settling down in his seat, knowing he would be there most of the night when a woman began approaching him, he'd spotted her in the crowd as he had first walked in, not because she was particularly nice looking, though he would do her if he were in dire need of a release, but because Jasyn saw everybody. He spotted everything; he sensed movements and motions that were happening behind just as well as he could see those in front. He watched everything like a hawk. Smirking at the pun, Jasyn eyed the girl who stopped in front of him and nervously handed him a long feather, Jasyn went completely still, he flicked his cold gaze on the woman, who flinched.

"Who gave you this?"

"A guy at the door," she muttered nervously. "But he is gone now."

Jasyn nodded and looked down at the feather and he shook his head with mild exasperation, Arion was back in town and the uppity Arcadian was calling him out. Jasyn felt a real grin spread across his lips making him look so sinister that the woman turned on her heel and ran.


	2. Chapter 2

"You're leaving?" Aubert Peltier said in that slow, contemplative way of his, his eyes studying Jasyn as if looking at him under a microscope. Jasyn nodded, his arms folded over his broad chest.

"Why are you leaving?"

"I have business to take care of," Jasyn said lazily, he allowed his unfeeling eyes to walk over Aubert, studying the studier. Jasyn was aware that Aubert did not like him, his reputation for no mercy to anyone, man; woman and child did not sit right with the old bear. Even though most of the Katagaria regarded him as a saviour of sorts, a hero worthy of highest worship, Jasyn knew the only reason Aubert tolerated him was because he lived in Sanctuary. Aubert was of a different breed, a man who still valued honour and a sense of fair play even among enemies. Jasyn firmly believed that the old bear would change his mind the day he lost everything and everyone he'd ever loved. Aubert frowned for a moment, Jasyn did not react at all, the bears approval and respect mattered little to him, should it come to it he knew he could take him out, one on one. Still, it would be a good fight.

"Then Zeus be kind to you," Aubert said courteously, ever the slave to good manners and propriety.

"Why? I don't need it," Jasyn said back, damning decorum to hell. Aubert lifted his lip in a sneer and left Jasyn on his own. Jasyn did not bother looking around his bedroom, even though he'd been there over seven years the room had only ever been temporary to him.

************************************************************

Jasyn swooped low and landed on the jutting branch of a tree, with a flick of his proud beak he scanned the entire landscape around him one glance. The lonely song of the wind promised that there was no one to catch him, Jasyn allowed himself to flash into human form, something he detested and normally refrained from doing, but it would be easier to look for human tracks in this form. Jasyn knelt low to the ground and his fingertips skimmed the dusty earth, his hawk eyes looking for signs of humans, he saw none. His fingertip lightly tipped a jagged pebble, he felt its sharp point press into his skin as it rolled, Jasyn rubbed his two fingers against his thumb still amazed after all these years at the different sensory experience he encountered as a human. He should be used to it really, he'd been able to change forms for centuries, though if he were truthful he spent very little time in human form if any.

Jasyn straightened to his magnificent height of six four and allowed a moment or two for nostalgia, Sofia province of southern Bulgaria was part of the land that had been his ancient birth place: Thracia. He had very few memories of this place but all were happy, or at least he thought they were, then again it was so long ago he sometimes wondered whether they were dreams. An attempt by his lonesome, angry mind to give himself some peace. The mountainous region where Jasyn had been a hatchling was very beautiful, and very peaceful, and a part of Jasyn disliked what he would have to do here. The anger and violence and hate of the act would in some way soil the beauty and tranquillity of Sofia, and therefore drain away the appeal Jasyn had for it. When Jasyn allowed himself to think of the past or even of the future, his birthplace was the only thing that he would concentrate on. In a life where he was simply living day by day, not caring whether he saw the next morning, to think of Sofia was something akin to hope or aspiration for Jasyn, aspiration for what he hadn't the faintest idea.

"Where are you, Arion?" Jasyn breathed, his eyes narrowed, searching. It was strange that of all the people Jasyn came into contact with, Arion, his arch enemy and nemesis, was the only thing that made Jasyn feel. In the early days when had first begun their strange game of chase and besting each other, Jasyn had felt a quickening of pulse when Arion would come after him to fight. Only the very bravest of sentinels had dared to face him, his fearsome reputation notwithstanding, Jasyn was one of the most ruthless fighters known to Were- kind. Where he was hero and champion of the Katagaria, he had become the Were version of Charlie Manson, only a hell of a lot scarier. And that was how Arion had earned Jasyn's hatred but also his respect and through that mutual respect a silent understanding had formed, that the game was between them and only them, Jasyn liked that. They thought on the same level, knowing if another should involve themselves the fight would continue on another day. They fought dirty and mercilessly yet with the sportsmen like nobility that should one fall the other would give him a swift, clean death. Jasyn refused to admit that should Arion be killed, he would be left floundering in the world without anyone to hate. Hatred and a need to win was the reason Jasyn was still alive, each fight neither had come out victorious but Arion always came back for more, ready each time with more quips and ruthless skill that could match Jasyn's own. How it broke the monotony of living!

This battle had been a long time coming, their very last one had left both in a state of near death, Arion had been saved by his Romani sorcerer friend, Ferka, while Jasyn had been left to rot. He had no friends to call upon in hours of need, which he was glad about, they'd only end up selling him out and costing more. Jasyn remembered as Ferka was carrying Arion away, the Arcadian had looked over at him as he lay upon the ground, his feathers soaked in blood.

"If you do not die, my friend," Arion had rasped with a punctured lung, "send me word and I'll come for you."

_I'll find you first, asshole!_

That had been in Richmond, Virginia 2000, Jasyn had been pretty sure he was going to die. Arion ordered Ferka to place Jasyn upon the pavement and out of the way of the traffic, then Ferka had refused to aid him anymore until he saw his friend to safety. Then the real indignities had begun, a crowd of human boys had found him and started poking him with sticks and nudging him with the toe of their shoes, inflicting more damage to his wounds. They'd finally gotten bored and one particularly vicious little shit had picked him up by his injured wing and thrown him into the rubbish bin. It was only in the early hours of the morning when the disposal guys turned up and found him still breathing; that one of them had decided a red tailed hawk was important enough to be saved. Jasyn had spent the next few weeks recuperating in a local vet's surgery until he was strong enough to break out and make it to Sanctuary. Jasyn flashed into hawk form and took up watch on the tree branch; he'd left his trail and let the word get out that he was out of Sanctuary again. All he had to do was wait, watch and wait; he'd wait all night and all tomorrow for a chance to feel something other then numb, as only Arion could make him feel. The Arcadian would die this time; he would make sure of it.

*************************************************

Emily squinted down at her script and tried to rehearse under her breath, the churning feeling in her stomach had come back and this time she was pretty sure she'd hurl.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?"

Emily snapped her head up and looked around when she found no one there, she frowned, the voice had sounded like it had been spoken from someone directly beside her. She stared into the distance where the director, Alison, was talking to one of the crew and shook her head in exasperation. She'd thought she'd gotten used to her new 'abilities' but there were times when her now super-sensitive hearing and keen eyesight made her look like a bit of a freak, Emily focused once again on the script she had yet to learn. Her job as the leading expert in zoology in the state of New York had taken her career further then anyone, least of all her, could have imagined. Sometimes Emily wondered whether it was because she was different that she had such good luck, she'd run tests on herself to see if she gave off any unnatural pheromones that could possibly make people more amiable towards her. She'd found nothing and had had to admit, with a rush of pride, that her good fortunes were down to gritty hard work and plain ole good luck. Now discovery channel were launching a new show and had begged her to co-present it with none other then David Attenborough! She was going to be on T.V! Okay, so the fact that one of her best friends was part of the crew had helped no doubt but Emily refused to believe that she would have gotten the job just because Paul had given her a leg up to his bosses.

Emily stared around her allowing her hawks eyes to take in the scenic landscape of Sofia, there was so much more to see as a hawk, the colours and movements that a human wouldn't notice. When she had first become aware of her new eyes Emily had pointed excitedly to the way the grassed moved in the wind, and the peculiar sounds made by ordinary objects. She'd recognised quickly that it wasn't good idea to keep doing this as most people hadn't a clue what she was seeing or hearing, she had rapidly gathered the reputation of one of the worlds eccentrics, making people give her a wide berth in the office. A noise from one of the camera men chewing his gum quietly eight foot away from her jolted Emily out of her thoughts and she gave a groan, she couldn't seem to get her tongue around the words on the page.

"Okay, lets try again," she muttered on a sigh, "Bulgaria is fast becoming a hot spot for bird watchers from all over the world … Its beautiful but rare combination of mountain ranges, flat plains and picturesque sea coast provides shelter and safety for many endangered species. Millions of birds use the Pontica - _Crap_! The _Via _Pontica … one of the major flyways in Europe … Blah, blah, blah."

"Hey, McLean!" A voice said from behind her, Emily smiled before she looked up, knowing this time the voice was meant for her. Emily looked up and saw Paul approaching her with Aaron and Jay, she sighed happily, the best distractions in the world were your best friends.

"What's up, Red?" Paul said stepping beside her and giving her hair a friendly tug. He'd called her red ever since they'd first met; an obvious nickname for her hair was just another indication that Emily McLean wasn't altogether normal. She'd been born with a strange defect she surmised, that had mutated the pigment in her hair colouring and made it red. Not run of the mill auburn or ginger, but a strange, dark cherry red, together with a honeyed skin and dark eyes Emily knew she attracted attention. And yes, she was a little vain about her looks, but it was really the only thing she had. Yes she'd always been smart, she'd never known how not to be smart - like someone who had been born into a wealthy family, they didn't know how to live without money, it was like breathing, it just was there. Emily's looks had got her places her intelligence alone wouldn't have and they also helped to mask her variety of idiosyncrasies that would have likely had her pummelled in school had she been ugly.

"Hey guys," she said, throwing her script down on the table next to her, she reached out and hugged Jay in greeting, he gave her ass a bit of a slap. Reminding her just how much weight she should be losing.

"Sooo," Jay said eagerly, Emily looked nonplussed.

"So what?"

"I knew it!" Jay threw up his hands in frustration while Paul and Aaron laughed behind him, "you didn't go out with him, did you?"

"Who?" Emily asked, still confused.

"The guy at the opening party, you know the one for the crew?" Emily still wasn't sure who he was talking about, but Jay carried on anyway.

"Whatever, if you can't remember him obviously that says as much as needs to be said."

Aaron eased himself smoothly down into the chair at the table and folded his arms behind his head, "have you dated at all since Edward?" he asked casually.

Emily shook her head, still sore over the fact she'd been ditched for another woman. "Bastard," Paul sneered, making Emily give him a tender look.

"You know, I know this lovely Italian guy," Jay said excitedly, "you remember Dimitri?" Aaron nodded when Jay looked at him. "He's a great guy, good sense of humour, he likes to eat …"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emily snapped while Paul chuckled. "Look, I appreciate the offer but I don't want a man."

They gave her disbelieving looks. "I don't!" Emily protested offended by their doubt, "I've got too much in my life going on without having to worry about some guy who does nothing but eat my food, sleep in my bed, spend my money, drive my car and gives me nothing in return."

"That's because you don't have good taste," Jay said simply earning him a scathing look from Emily, "leave it to me and you'll be happily married by the end of the year, I promise you!"

"Hell no!"

"You don't want to get married?" Paul asked curiously.

"I don't want to get divorced," Emily retorted glibly with a shrug and Jay gave her a pitying look, then cast a despairing one at Aaron. There was a small silence where they all stared at her.

"Okay, I'm going to risk sound gay here, but these are special circumstances," Jay announced, throwing up his hands.

"You are gay," Aaron responded and got a wink from Jay, "you know it baby!"

Aaron blushed, while Paul pointedly looked away from the exchange of hot looks between the lovers.

"Anyway …" Paul said loudly, Jay smiled wickedly before turning back to Emily, who'd watched the exchange with a soppy expression - if that's how it was, she so wanted to be gay!

"Yeah, well, I think you got intimacy issues, girl."

"Stop watching Ricki Lake," Emily said in a deadpan voice and Jay snorted disgustedly.

"I give up!"

"Thank God!"

"Now, now children," Aaron placated, "Em don't want no man, right?"

"Yes she does!" Jay snapped, "she just doesn't want to get close to someone in case they find out she's a bird!"

Emily paled; Aaron glanced swiftly around to check who was within hearing range, while Paul slapped Jay on the back of the head.

"I mean, broad - 'cause she's a broad and she -erm … Oops?"

"Shut up!" Emily hissed, holding a hand over her face to conceal her half fearful half exasperated expression. She'd told her three best friends about her transformations almost as soon as it had happened, they had turned up on her door step the day after Edward had dumped, her laden down with treats and tissues for a day of comforting a broken heart. Only to find her in a state of electrified excitement and fear, when she had shown them her party trick - Jay's phrase not hers -Paul had promptly asked her whether he should stop smoking weed. Aaron and Jay had handled it with all the grace and dignity to be expected from ex- drag queens, Aaron asking what flying was like, while Jay promptly made cracks about big bird from Sesame Street.

"Look, Em, I'm sure you'll find the right guy soon," Paul said his lips twitching; "you should really go for a guy that likes breast though."

"Are you trying to make a funny?" Emily asked sweetly and Aaron cracked a Jay cracked a rib laughing.

"Hey, McLean, what do you get if you cross Big Bird with Daffy Duck?"

"I've heard this one before -"

"Come on!" Aaron said, leisurely getting up, "lunch break over guys."

Jay and Emily hugged and she pinched his butt hard in reprimand, Paul waved her goodbye and they walked away, leaving her with her script once again. Emily sighed, they had been in Sofia all day but due to the technical glitches they had been experiencing it was very likely tomorrow would be when the real filming started. Which Emily was kind of glad of, it would give her an extra day to rehearse the lines, why she didn't have an autocue she would never understand. Five more minutes of labouring over the script Emily gave up, she shoved it in her back pocket of her grey plaid shorts and grabbed her satchel. No one would miss her if she slipped away for a while, and if they did they were so busy fawning over her that they wouldn't think to reprimand her so it was all good. Emily decided they also wouldn't miss one of the jeeps; she jumped in, started it up and drove for the more isolated region of Sofia Province. Perhaps she could do some filming of her own on her own camera or better yet practice her … abilities in secret. Emily pondered on her unusual abilities, after her transformation on her birthday Emily had thrown herself into finding out just how she had become a freaky kind of Were-hawk. She pushed herself as far as she could go testing the limitations of her new found powers; she'd documented it all in her diary. Emily had come to realise that changing forms was a lot easier during the night time then it was in the day, in fact it was almost impossible to accomplish her hawk form and maintain it while the sun was up, she'd done it once and it had drained her, but she was determined to focus her powers and energy so that she would be able to maintain her bird form during the day. It had just become something more to achieve and set her sights on, she'd reached the peak of her professional career before turning thirty, becoming a bird had just presented another challenge to keep her busy on the lonely nights.

She'd also noticed that besides a heightened sensitivity in her senses, she had become telekinetic which was always handy because she was forever leaving the remote on top of the T.V. Emily recognised that her sex drive had gone through the roof, she attributed that to her changes as well. On an examination of her blood which had altered significantly since her change Emily had hypothesised that electricity could possibly damage her. She hadn't tried it yet, she certainly wasn't keen to but she needed to know, though she'd plugged her vacuum in several times and it hadn't hurt. Still better to be safe the sorry, as soon as she'd had the funds she'd hired a maid, she was going to instruct the woman to simply hoover, but that would just add to her reputation of oddity.

She'd even gone so far as to dig up as much as she could about her real parents, nothing had come up so far, it really was like she had simply appeared out of thin air on the door step of an orphanage. Emily had refused up until this point to think about anything to do with her biological parents, it stung her that they had been so eager to be rid of her that they hadn't even given her a name or information when they had dumped her. What puzzled her most now was the question of whether her parents had been like her? Or was she an anomaly unto herself? But damn it! What if they had been birds? Never mind a history of heart disease or cancer, now Emily had to contend with a hereditary bird disease! Emily stamped on the break hard at that thought; she pushed a hand through her hair - House Finch Disease! Avian Pox! Aspergillosis! _Trichomoniasis_!

"Oh, shit, I could molt!" Emily whimpered and laid her head on the steering wheel. Her only comfort was that should she was a specialist and could easily determine and cure anything that was likely to be wrong with her. Another comfort was that it didn't look like she could ever be stuck in her hawk form, every time she went to sleep she awakened human - that was a hell of a relief.

Lifting her head, Emily decided that she should only really worry about things like that if they happened, and the likelihood of it seemed slim as she was for the most part, entirely human. Taking her camcorder Emily got from the car and began filming her surroundings, commenting now and again on an unusual plant or wildlife. A muffled noise, like someone having the wind knocked out of them reached her ears and Emily raised her head from her camera, knowing she would see better with her natural eyes. She pinpointed it to higher up on the slope of Rila mountain, Emily stumbled forward keeping her eyes fixed on what she saw, her mouth agape. A man was about to be hurt up there!


	3. Chapter 3

Jasyn eyed the two Arcadians coldly in his hawk form, had he been human he would have presented his most lethal stare, one guaranteed to have them running home to their Mama's. Though his hawks stare was equally as unsettling, it was piercing and chilling and held the stony promise of death.

_Where's Arion, asshole? _Jasyn demanded, and watched the Arcadians gulp.

"Arion sent us," one of them said shakily, sweat beaded his upper lip, Jasyn let out a caw of indignation.

_Arion wouldn't bring another in to fight his battles! Don't you dare lie to me!_

"He did!" he cried out, visibly trembling, "he did send us!"

The other silent, perhaps braver, Arcadian said nothing but drew his sword, he moved forward and the sun caught the blade.

"You're going to die now," the Arcadian promised, "for what you did to us, you will die. Adrian, aim your crossbow!"

_Then he had sent you to your death_, Jasyn whispered dangerously before launching himself from the branches and towards his foe. The Arcadians took aim at him but he changed in mid-flight and they had no time to redirect their target, in his naked human form Jasyn caught the man with the sword around his neck and gave it a short, firm, final twist and let his dead weight drop to the ground. He turned on the coward holding the crossbow and sneered when the Arcadian dropped it.

"There is no pleasure in killing a coward," he growled softly, the Arcadian's wits left him completely and he turned to run setting light to Jasyn's predatory instinct, the Arcadian tripped over a rock and began to alternate between crawling on his knees and trying to get to his feet in an effort to get away.

"Oh my God!"

Jasyn turned his murderous eyes to his left and saw a woman with ruby red hair watching him agape, the Arcadian looked at her also and both he and Jasyn lowered their eyes to the camcorder she held.

"Run for your life!" the Arcadian screamed before flashing himself somewhere else, Jasyn hissed his anger and let out angry screech that made the woman wince. He spun on his heel and began to advance on her, the cold intent to kill blatant in his eyes.

"Please," the woman begged, "please, don't hurt me!"

Jasyn sneered at her. Pathetic human, pathetic woman and a worthless existence, she was breathing air reserved for braver, worthier predators. Shifting into his hawk form Jasyn attacked, the woman stumbled back to the jagged edge of the rocky terrain that sloped down like a mini mountain. Well, in fact they were on a mountain just luckily for her not the summit. Though by the way she fell back, her arms wind milling at her sides while Jasyn pecked and clawed her, she had a good chance of breaking her neck.

Camera still attached to her hand, the woman rolled and rolled and rolled, Jasyn distinctly heard her swear and curse as she was no doubt cut by the sharp rocks and stung by the various nettles that grew. Jasyn's only regret was that her body would crush the habitats of the animals that made their home on the ground, but as to the amount of pain she was in … well, life was pain. Like a wise man once told him: deal with it!

Once the woman had halted in her tumble she was laying flat on her back, the dust she'd kicked up still in the air around her, like she was an actor on some crappy stage show just appearing through the trap door under the cover of smoke. Jasyn wasted no time and dove down, his sharp claws erect and going for her jugular, the woman threw up her arms, batting at him, she managed to clip him in the wing and throw him off course which only angered him more. The woman tried to roll on to her front to crawl away but her leg was obviously broken, this gave Jasyn, who was undoubtedly a predator, the advantage to damage his prey more before the kill. Jasyn did not concern himself with the fact that she was a woman; all he knew was that she was human and Jasyn despised humans.

"I'm like you, I'm like you!" The woman shrieked trying to keep Jasyn from pulling at her hair and clothes. Jasyn knew he'd put marks on her face but the deep burgundy shade of her hair made it impossible for him to see the blood, how he needed to see it! Jasyn pulled back and flew higher; he circled over her and dove down. Wondering if the attack had ceased the woman parted her forearms to look about her. Their eyes connected and Jasyn felt himself wobble in flight, she was bloodied and bruised and the most stunningly beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Jasyn wasn't one to be suckered in by a pretty face yet this beauty's eyes were so wide and fearful, something in his gut twisted and Jasyn wanted to pull himself out of the dive and fly away so he couldn't hurt her. However he was pushing too fast and gravity was taking care of the rest, he would hit her and likely hurt her and there was nothing he could do about it. Jasyn collided with her palms, without meaning to he tore at her flesh and caught at her face; she cried out in pain and caught him around the neck, squeezing tightly.

"Don't make me hurt you!" she whispered angrily and Jasyn fell still, as if she had put him in a trance, she could have broken his neck and he'd have stayed there and let her do it. Her hands on him were mesmerising and for how much he'd hurt her, her grip still did not become painful.

"Thanks to you my ribs are broken and so is my leg!" she snarled, giving him a shake, Jasyn's mind was numbing out on him as he stared up into beautiful angel eyes of a startling hazel. "I know you understand every word I'm saying -"

Jasyn snapped out of his trance when the scent of Arcadian pricked his senses, his eyes narrowed on the woman and he began to struggle again, his claws and beak ripping into her hands and belly. He raked over an area of skin covering her broken rib and she screamed out in agony, tears streamed down her face and Jasyn began to panic. Suddenly a pain so hard it caused white stars to burst before his eyes shot through his head, Jasyn was thrown back from her body and he flew away as fast as his wings could carry him. Jasyn looked back to see several humans surrounding the woman, one was still looking mutinously at him while he continued to futilely throw rocks at him.

********************************************

Emily put her hand to her abused ribs that were thankfully bruised rather then broken, and worked her way into a more comfortable sitting position.

"This bed is killing my ass!" she complained to the nurse who was arranging the dozens of flower pots and vases in her private room, the nurse looked up and laughed.

"You shouldn't even be sitting up," Melinda tried to reprimand Emily as she bent her head to the sunflowers sent courtesy of one of the camera men.

"Melinda, when am I going to be discharged?" Emily pouted, putting on her most wounded, puppy dog eyes. Melinda turned with her hands on her hips and shook her head, she moved swiftly to Emily's bedside and tried to get her to lie back down, Emily fought it and won.

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Melinda huffed; unsuccessful with trying to get her patient to lay back, so she set about straightening the blankets. "You were brought in four hours ago. In all fairness with an attack like you suffered you should be in severe pain or at least out of your head on pain meds."

"Well, quick healing runs in the family," Emily said vaguely, she was just glad they hadn't tried to give her a blood test or anything equally as incriminating to her condition. "So when do I get to leave?"

"Not yet," Melinda said and turned to leave, Emily grabbed her arm with a whimper.

"Oh please stay, Melly; I get so bored in here on my own!"

Whether or not the woman had any aversion to being given a nickname by someone she'd met only four hours ago didn't occur to Emily, as she tried to get Melinda to stay and chat with her until her friends came.

"Go to sleep!" Melinda said sternly and gave Emily's cheek a painless pat, Emily pouted when she was left on her own. She lay back against her pillows sulking a little, if she was out of action too long they might throw her off the show.

"Damn health service," Emily said under her breath without any real heat, she turned her head and stared at the clock, it still hadn't moved. Just as she began to wonder if the darn thing was broken the door was flung open and in marched Paul with Aaron dragging Jay in after him. Emily raised an eyebrow at a flustered looking Aaron.

"Yeah, yeah! Wait until you meet my God damn lawyer!" Jay was shouting back at a livid looking Bulgarian nurse, Aaron gave a final tug and threw the door shut. "Shave your moustache!"

"What the hell was that about?" Emily asked, so shocked her face hadn't moved and made her look a little expressionless, though why she was surprised she had no idea. Jay was a total diva.

"Nurse Cratchett out there!" Jay stormed and plonked himself on the bed; Emily winced when he barely missed her leg. "I mean, I wouldn't mind but I couldn't understand what she was saying anyway!"

Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head, she looked up at Paul and Aaron, Paul was laughing and Aaron was looking harassed, their expressions soon changed when they caught her eye.

"What happened?" Paul asked, easing down into the chair next to her bed, Jay forgot his anger to turn and look at her, Emily knew that the question wasn't just about how she got her injuries, the boys suspected the truth.

"I found someone else like me," Emily spoke in a low, controlled voice, all three men cursed.

"I knew it was that damn bird!" Paul whispered fiercely, "I had to throw rocks at it to get it to fuck off!"

Emily didn't say anything, for Paul to swear so casually meant he was truly agitated and pissed off.

"It attacked you?" Jay said and Emily nodded.

"I was walking up near the mountains slope and I looked up and there was this guy standing there, I was going to shout up to him because he was staring at the tree where this huge hawk was. Even from how far away I was I could feel the menace coming off of the hawk; I knew it was going to attack. I started up towards him then I saw another guy was with him and they were both armed, I thought, you know, maybe they were -"

"Poachers?" Jay muttered before she could and Emily nodded.

"But then the bird flew at them before I could reach. I was going up there to stop them trying to kill the bird, and it just flashed into a man!"

"Like you?" Paul and Jay said together, Emily shook her head and shrugged.

"I haven't a clue. All I know is he was drop dead gorgeous, the most handsome man I'd ever seen." He had been, Emily thought, though her tone suggested to her friends that this was not meant positively. The man had had light blond hair with darker shades running through it and piercing green eyes that glowed from a distance. She'd not been in the position to ogle his body but even from where she stood his muscles and strength were evident, especially by the way he broke the other guys neck without so much as breaking a sweat. But that darkness that ran through him was terrifying, it was so thick and menacing that the very threat of it had Emily too scared to try and defend herself against his attack.

"He was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen," Emily said, all at once not looking like the sexy woman she was but a frightened little girl, desperately wanting the protector that she'd never had.

"He caught hold of one of the guys and broke his neck like a twig. Then the one on the ground warned me to 'run for my life'," Emily laughed in a self-deprecating way, wishing she'd heeded his warning, "then he vanished. The hawk guy just looked at me and ran at me, then turned into a bird and attacked. He was definitely in the mood to kill me."

"Shit," Paul whispered under his breath, he and Jay exchanged uneasy glances, they'd never seen Emily so shaken, Emily had never seen herself so shaken, even when she'd found out she wasn't human anymore. She'd always wondered whether there were more out there like her, apparently so, and they were psychotic by the looks of things. Emily couldn't stop a sniffle and Paul pulled her into his arms, while Jay wrapped his arms around her from the opposite side, she was caged in by her two best friends, their combined male scents soothing her the way nothing else could.

"You had your camera rolling though, right?" Aaron asked suddenly, Jay and Paul pulled back and Emily scrubbed at her wet face, she nodded.

"Well, did you get any footage of him?" Aaron asked eagerly, they all stared at her. Emily had a moment where the truth was on the tip of her tongue, but she did not say it. She knew it wasn't right to bring her friends any further into a world she knew nothing of, and which was a world that could potentially endanger their lives. As much as she wanted to share her every fear and woe with them she refused to put the ones she loved in jeopardy, she'd seen burning hatred in that guys eyes as he looked at her, Emily shivered, to involve them would be completely irresponsible.

"No, I've looked. I didn't capture anything."

All three looked disappointed, Emily gave them a wan smile; she just wanted to go home, back to her beautiful, safe New York. She almost laughed that after this she actually considered New York safe.

"He smelt different to," Emily said in a dazed way, remembering how he'd stopped struggling for a moment in her hands.

_Because he knew you were going to break his neck!_

Possibly, but it seemed as though there was more there. No, that was just silly; perhaps she was just inventing it to make herself feel better for being the victim of an unprovoked attack.

"How?" all three asked together, Emily shrugged and shook her head again.

"I don't know. Everyone has their own scent but his was so very different."

"Don't worry, Em. We're going home soon."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know, I was just thinking how horrible it will be to leave Bulgaria," Emily lied.

*****************************************************

Jasyn circled the hospital before swooping down and landing on a lamp post, he eyed the upper windows thoughtfully, he could see partially into some of the rooms but he could not make out without closer inspection where the Arcadian woman was. Jasyn knew that she would not die from any of the wounds he had inflicted, she was a were-hunter after all, which meant she would heal within hours where the average human would take days or perhaps weeks. Jasyn had considered that the woman could have been involved with the pitiful attempt to ambush him but he decided against it, her stupidity alone - which superseded the two Arcadians to the title of idiot of the year - made him think that her presence there was entirely coincidence. However coming from the world of the were-hunter, to rule something out as a coincidence was inviting trouble in Jasyn's mind, and was also a dramatic step towards being complacent, something no were-hunter, Arcadian or Katagaria, could afford to be. Still the clumsy attempt on his life was not the only reason he had to find her again. On reflection, Jasyn realised that the woman had held a camcorder in her hands while she watched him kill the Arcadians and then when he attacked her. Perhaps she had not been recording at the time, and perhaps the footage was blurry and utterly worthless, still he had to know. Any self-respecting were-hunter, no matter whence womb or lineage they originated from, would go to all lengths to destroy any and all evidence of their existence. Unless of course they wanted to find themselves in a cage, surrounded by people in white coats and having all manner of things poked up their sphincters. It was the duty of them all to make sure no evidence could be leaked to the human world. Surely she would get rid of it? Jasyn thought to himself. He had bigger fish to fry right now; he didn't need to be tramping around after some dozy, Arcadian female who was stupid enough to record his attack. Jasyn didn't think about what would happen when he was able to get to her again, either way it wouldn't be beneficial to her, especially if she chose to fight him. Yeah, right, Jasyn scoffed, that really seemed likely after she had practically rolled over and allowed him to almost kill her. The woman had been damn lucky that her human friends had come and rescued her, otherwise she would be in shreds, oh well, there was going to be another time, Jasyn promised himself that.


	4. Chapter 4

"Home sweet home," Emily murmured as she dumped her bags on the varnished wooden floor of her entrance hall. She'd been away for almost four months now, give or take a week or two, shooting episodes for her new show, gosh was she glad to be home. She'd been jetted from Bulgaria, to Africa, to the Amazon rainforest, to the Artic and finally rounding it off in a sedate woodland area back in Europe, all to show the variety of habitat and animal. All the way Emily had the strangest bout of paranoia she'd ever experience in her life, every continent she was on, every bed and breakfast or campsite she stayed in, Emily was sure she was being watched and followed. She didn't want to think about whom it could be but when she steadfastly refused to confront the issue, the issue confronted her. By plastering the image of her handsome attacker behind her eyelids, Emily was forced to acknowledge that there was a serious threat to her out there. Ignoring it during the day didn't help her however; she had nightmares about him coming to get her when she tried to sleep, so she was thinking of him around the clock.

Emily pushed the door shut behind her and walked further into her home, feeling inexplicably safe by her familiar, albeit dusty, surroundings. Emily gave a half pout at seeing her plants withered into dried, brown clumps, she swept her finger along the edge of the pretty mantel above her old fashioned but obsolete fire place. The build up of dust there made her sigh, she'd have a lot to clean up tonight, there was no question of doing it in the morning, she wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that there was so much disorder in her neat little apartment. Not that she hadn't stayed in some squats but when it came to her home, Emily was very clear on how in should be ordered and run, not that she was a clean freak by any means … well, perhaps a little. Still, Emily thought as a way of cheering herself up, at least everything was exactly how she'd left it. Except for the dust, all nick-knacks, furniture and photos were in their original posts. Emily pulled out her handy little disposable dust cloths and began to wipe over her surfaces, a contented up lift of her lips turning into a fully fledged happy smile as more of the dust was cleaned away.

"Just as I left it," Emily whispered proudly, surveying her dust free rooms with her hands on her hips as her clock on the mantel tinkled the time; one o clock in the morning. "Just as I -"

Emily's stomach gave a growl, "oh no," she groaned, throwing a despairing look to the kitchen. Knowing she would be away for quite a length of time meant that Emily had cleared out her fridge, freezer and cupboards of any and all perishables, Emily made pathetic whimpering noises as she slouched into the kitchen and tried to rustle up something edible.

An hour or so later Emily was sat by her window munching on pepperoni pizza while staring out into the sky. She wasn't at all tired but that wasn't unusual, since her weird morphing ability had surfaced so had an intense stamina and nocturnal habits. While she'd been waiting for her pizza to be delivered Emily had checked her mail, her e-mail, unpacked her case, sorted all dirty laundry into ordered piles now awaiting their turn for the wash, she had even changed the bedding, thinking that four months of dust on her duvet was unhealthy for the lungs. She had had the good sense to curb her enthusiasm for the idea of vacuuming, not wanting to end up arguing with her neighbours. Emily reached blindly for her pizza and unerringly found the crust to pick it up; her eyes were still transfixed on the stars, her mind a buzz with silence. Her consciousness was submerged somewhere under layers and layers of sensual knowledge, she'd never have thought it possible in her old life but silence actually had a sound, and certain smells and tastes came with a variety of colour to her hawks eye. If she did say so herself; she was quite a fascinating anomaly.

It was only when there was a faint clicking from one of the various locks on her front door did Emily pull herself from her limbo and look to it. She watched in horror as the dead bolt across the very top of the door inched back all of its own accord, the chain in the latch unlatched itself, Emily acted as fast as she could. Rather then try to run for the door that was turning its last lock, Emily spat her mouthful of pizza into a napkin and with quick movements wadded it up and threw it the box, she was then up and out of her seat and to her desk drawer. While she was unpacking, one very valuable piece of equipment she had purchased while travelling through South America, was placed in that drawer - the drawer wasn't locked, in case of emergencies. Emily picked up the Glock -17 and palmed it, she still wasn't sure how to use it, though Gabriel, her "dealer" had shown her.

"How hard can it be?" Emily murmured to herself, beginning to sweat profusely, "she aims and pulls the trigger. Yeah, aim and pull."

Emily watched the door closely as the last lock finally unlocked itself and the door swung open silently and with impossible slowness, it was like something out of a horror film and simply because Emily was too scared to see what was behind the door she fired a shot without looking. Eyes clenched tight, on impulse her finger tightened on the trigger when her whole hand tautened with fear, the shots rang out painfully loud for Emily's sensitive senses, that and the abject fear of having let off a shot had Emily immediately dropping the gun. She cursed herself for being such a girl and dropped to her knees to retrieve it, there was a gruff curse and she looked up, the handsome stalker/murderer man was lying wounded over her threshold.

"You bitch!" he snarled, before passing out and transforming into a hawk with a shattered wing. Emily's mouth made a silent O and looked down at the gun, "oops," she murmured before crawling on all fours towards the bird. She approached it slowly, stopping a safe distance away she craned her neck to check out his condition, it seemed like he was breathing okay but the wing must have hurt so much that it had caused him to black out - Emily shook her head, she was stating the obvious! What she really needed to establish was whether her feathered stalker slash would be murderer, was in a position to harm her. It didn't look like it but then looks could be deceiving, she was living proof of that fact.

"Checking his condition requires me to move closer," Emily whined softly to herself, she whimpered pathetically as she shifted closer to him. The only reason she was doing so was because she couldn't stomach the thought of acting like a coward, it would haunt her for the rest of her life - she was many things, many disagreeable things in fact, but she was not a coward. Though she agreed that should she decide to simply toss him in the dumpster, the actions would be justified not cowardly.

"Yeah right," she grumbled and after giving him a soft prod with her finger, got up to retrieve her coat.

*********************************************************

Dr. Qassim Ali threw a murderous look at Emily over the body of the unconscious hawk; Emily ignored him and stood on tiptoes so she might get a better look at his work from her side. Qassim's looks of distaste, disgust and plain disdain had never bothered her, it was simply his way, he'd been so since college. Most people didn't like him, he was rich, aloof, arrogant, unbelievably intelligent and good looking in that very Middle Eastern way. Most people blamed their dislike of him on those things or going for the simple explanation that he was foreign and therefore things were lost in translation, such as manners and western etiquette. But years of working with him, sometimes involuntarily, had taught her he was also shy, socially awkward and extremely observant and astute. When she'd first started dating Edward, Qassim had spent less then an hour in the man's company before looking at Emily in his quiet, dissecting way and announcing in Edward's presence, that he couldn't see the relationship lasting and though he hadn't much time for anyone, he didn't want Emily to be wasting more years then it was worth lumbered with an asshole. Suffice to say Edward and Emily were very offended, Emily got over it, Edward didn't and had forbidden her to never see Qassim again. She'd acquiesced to his request simply to stop any further arguments, though she had stayed in touch by e-mail. Still Qassim noticed the abrupt decline in visits - even though most of the time Emily forced herself on him and his cold hospitality - and it had hurt him.

"Listen, Qassim -"

"I'd rather you not talk while I do this," Qassim said sharply, keeping his eyes fixed on the hawk's wing, "if you can't be quiet leave. And take the bird with you. God knows, I'm sure you've many people who would open their doors at dawn to fix a problem for you."

Emily nodded and felt her throat tighten, in that moment she hated herself and Edward, she'd been so in love with him and so obsessed with keeping her first real boyfriend that she'd forsaken a friendship, a good one. One that had remnants that still touched Qassim enough so that he grudgingly accepted her into his home and helped her.

"It's a hawk," she clarified under her breath, Emily kept her eyes down cast but saw in her peripheral vision that Qassim had thrown her another filthy look. It took her back to when they'd been forced together on projects at college; Qassim had no time for a 'stereotypical, superficial, plastic wannabe Barbie'. Emily had always been offended and confused by his assessment of her, she had weird coloured burgundy hair, not blond and yes, she was quite beautiful but she didn't flaunt it … at least not really. She couldn't afford to draw too much attention to herself; she was basically the average weirdo once people got to know her. She knew lots of people but they weren't friends, she had very little friends.

"Where in the world did you find this hawk?" Qassim asked, to any other person it would have sounded like he was musing to himself but Emily knew he was actually asking a question.

"On the street outside my apartment," she lied, Qassim frowned and shook his head, he flicked a glance up at her then back to the bird.

"What were you doing out so early in the morning?"

"I - went for a walk," Emily lied again, but her hesitation cost her and Qassim recognised the lie immediately, he paused in his work to throw her a cold glare.

"Fine," he bit out and they lapped into silence.

A little over two hours later Qassim had sown the last of the stitches on to the hawk's wing and stepped back, he removed the tubes from its mouth and lifted it with the blanket to put it in a cage he kept at the back of his surgery. Because he refused to give into his family's demands to get married, he'd become a certified workaholic and basically lived in his veterinarian surgery. By then Emily's eyes were itching with tiredness and her jet lag was catching up to her, she followed Qassim at a sluggish pace to the cage, even Qassim must have been tired because he didn't tell her off for following him.

"You can call a cab," Qassim said awkwardly, "I'll let you know how -"

"Oh please," Emily said desperately before thinking, "can't I stay with him?"

"Here?" Qassim looked at her as if she was insane, but Emily knew she'd either stay or take the bird with her. She had been a crappy friend to Qassim; the last thing she would do was repay him for his kindness by letting him stay with a cold blooded murderer in his house. Emily was of the notion that this bird was like her and yet not. Emily had learnt she could not hold her hawk form when unconscious, it seemed that it had the reversed affect here and that her feathered friend could not hold his human form. Emily knew that should the bird wake up and try to harm her she could always cause it enough pain to put it out again, or just go for the safe all around route and kill it. The thought turned her stomach.

"Yes, I really want to stay with him," Emily said, her mind free of any real reason or excuse for her odd behaviour, then again, the fact that she was an eccentric had been the reason Qassim had eventually warmed to her.

"It's just a bird, Emily," Qassim said disbelievingly, "you've done your bit by bringing it to a vet, most people wouldn't have even done that."

Emily opened her mouth then closed it again. He was right, most people would very likely have left it lying on the street, and had they been in her situation many would have killed it, knowing it was a threat to their lives. Strangely enough though, even with her predatory instincts and the threat the hawk represented, leaving him to bleed to death on her floor hadn't crossed her mind. Perhaps it was out of pure morbid curiosity that she'd wanted him alive so she could eventually talk to him and study him.

"Please, Qas," Emily begged and Qassim shrugged and gestured to the sofa.

"I'll get you a blanket and pillow."

****************************************************************

Jasyn fought through layers of smog and dizziness to find himself locked in a cage, his left wing when he tried to move it was painful and sore.

_That whore! She'd shot him! _

Jasyn grudgingly respected the fact that she had been prepared for him and because she'd had the balls to do it, but that was drowned in a wave of disgust at the cowardice of using a gun. Jasyn flicked a look down to his wing to assess the damage, thinking of a way he could get to Carson, he was shocked to see a neat row of stitches over his wound; he blinked at them a few times before accepting they were there.

_She'd … helped him? Most likely saved him._

Jasyn wasn't sure how he felt about that, it confused him, which he hated. But it also made him aware that he was in her debt and was honour bound to repay her, though by most people's judgements he had no honour, and therefore did not have to see it through. Jasyn snapped his beak sharply, he hated being in debt to anyone. And to be in debt to an Arcadian, it was enough to make him rend his own plumage. Why the hell had she done such a thing? It bugged the shit out of him that he couldn't figure a motive for her actions, perhaps it was a sneaky Arcadian ploy, that she would help him so he wouldn't kill her? But that made absolutely no sense, there were more holes in that explanation then there was in Swiss cheese. Twice he'd been at her mercy, the first time - the time he dearly wished not to recall - when he'd frozen up in her grasp under the magnetism of her eyes, she'd held him by the neck and could have broken it in a swift flick of the wrist. The second time he had been passed out on her floor, she could have done anything to him. She could have killed him outright or made him suffer days; that was the Arcadian way. Something was so off with this broad Jasyn wasn't sure what to think.

His thoughts were quickly disrupted by an opening and closing of door, from his position in the cage Jasyn could not make out who was there, but he caught the scent of human male. He swiftly played dead when he realised the person was coming nearer the cage, a shadow fell across the bars, shrouding him in darkness, then moved away, Jasyn opened his eyes cautiously.

_If that stupid bitch had taken him to a human vet, she'd very likely exposed them all!_

"I've already checked on him, he's still sleeping off the drugs," came her voice, Jasyn wanted to let out a squawk of rage but wisely kept silent.

"I'm the vet, it's my surgery, I'll check him if I want to." If he'd been in human form Jasyn would have smiled, he liked the way this male treated her like shit. Jasyn watched as the sadness from both people intensified, and so did the feeling of hurt and anger from the male. The male made his way back to the door but before he could reach it, she caught up to him, the scene played out a few metres away from Jasyn's cage. Dr. Emily McLean. One of the youngest, most renowned Zoologists in America, if not the world. And half the host for the discovery channels 'Wilds of the World'. He'd followed her for months, plotting the right time to kill her and take a look at that tape. Jasyn watched as she gripped his arm through his white doctors' coat, she spun him around with strength that would surprise the man. The guy looked down at her with a serious frown and she looked up at him with a deploring expression, it looked deploring from her side profile, which Jasyn was getting.

"Qassim," she let go of his arm and held on to the lapels of his coat, "I'm … so very sorry."

The guys face quivered a bit before hardening, "too late."

He made to leave but she refused to let him, and with her were-hunter strength she could keep him there all day.

"I know it is, but its better late then never," she said, her voice soft and very pleasing to the ear, Jasyn admitted that much. "I know you'll never forgive me, and I know I don't deserve it. But I am just so sorry, I was stupid and I was blind and I was wrong. I made a wrong choice. And I would just like you to know that … well, I've learnt my lesson and if you'd ever find it in your heart to give me some room back in your life, I will not, ever, be as foolish and complacent. Nor will I take it for granted."

She's good, Jasyn thought acidly, her type always were. Beautiful, beguiling and betraying. It was obvious to him she had betrayed doctor Qassim, and now the woman was begging, actually begging, for the guy's friendship. Where was her sense of dignity? Were-hunters didn't beg. Where was her sense of shame? Though Arcadians didn't seem to have much.

"Yes, you will," Qassim said nonchalantly, as if unaffected by her words, "people always do."

Jasyn decided then that he liked the good doctor, as much as he ever could like someone, the doctor was someone who could understand on his level. That bitterness and grave knowledge in him which said that everything and everyone will stab you in the back, the front and the sides, given the chance.

"People take for granted what they haven't lost," Emily muttered, "I lost. And know what I will lose again."

Emily stepped back from him and put her hands behind her back, "Thank you anyway, for what you did with the bird."

She turned to walk back to wherever she was sitting, Jasyn saw her eyes were bright and he rolled his own. Women and their tears!

"It's a hawk," Qassim said suddenly, the guy gave a grudging smile and Jasyn lost all liking and respect for him. If the guy was that easily swayed by words then he deserved what he got. "Want to have breakfast with me?"

Emily moved forward, her eyes were still bright but she laughed instead of sobbed, she put her hands to her mouth while she cackled madly while nodding like a buffoon, Jasyn could not help but feel lightened by the sound. The pure joy in it was something he rarely heard, Jasyn couldn't think the last time he'd laughed or smiled simply because he was happy.

"Yes, yes I would love to," she said as she walked into his arms and hugged his waist, the doctor put his arm around her shoulders and shook his head.

"This is the only time I will allow you to hug me," he said primly as he led her to the door, Jasyn heard Emily sigh out of sight and answer him.

"Whatever you say, doc."

Jasyn heard the door slam shut behind them and felt strangely cold and alone, which was stupid because he was always alone, forever cold. Yet … her laugh, so melodic and pleasing to the ear had warmed him, even though it was all for another. Jasyn shook himself and looked down at his wing, wondering whether he should chance an attempt at escaping, he debated with himself swiftly and decided that he'd have to wait it out a bit longer. He could keep pretending he was asleep if he had to, but doing a prison break now wouldn't do him any good, he'd only damage himself further and there was a good chance he'd likely die. Plus he needed to know more about Emily McLean, she was his primary target now, and she would either be silenced or destroyed.

*******************************************************

Emily poked her head around the door of the surgery and saw that the homicidal hawk was still out of it in his cage, she moved into the room quietly. Qassim was finally out of the house having left for a visit to his mother, this would give Emily some good, clear thinking time to contemplate what she would do when her attacker came round. She'd put off as long as possible, she had breakfasted, read the newspaper, showered and washed her hair while her clothes had washed and dried, there wasn't much else she could actually do and the bird being out of her sight too long made her a little edgy. Emily moved forward to the cage and stood in front of it gazing at the hawk, it was a magnificent specimen to behold, like her he was a red tailed hawk, one of the largest of hawks. Now that she'd had time to reflect Emily admitted that bringing an obviously disturbed and dangerous animal into her friend's house was not a good idea. What if the damn bird decided to take his revenge on her by killing Qassim? Emily's stomach roiled at the idea, despite their past differences and apparent lack of common ground, Emily had always cared deeply for Qassim. His slightly acerbic sense of humour and forthright personality had always made her laugh; Emily's only regret was that she hadn't listened to him about Edward. Had she been so desperate for the man's love that she would have cut off her friends for him? Emily suspected that the only reason Edward had tolerated Jay was because he was scared of him, Jay may be gay but he could fight his way out of any corner better then some prize fighting boxers.

"Who are you?" Emily asked the sleeping hawk quietly, she worried her lip as she gazed at him, abruptly the hawk flicked open one beady black golden eye and glared at her, Emily gasped and immediately backed away from the cage, holding her hands up in surrender. "I mean you no harm."

The hawk said nothing but then Emily hadn't expected it to, though she had the strong impression he was likely scoffing at her attempt at a truce.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" Emily asked angrily, she'd never truly encountered someone who hated her; nearly everyone liked her - at least to her face. Okay, so they found her weird but they generally liked her. Still the hawk said nothing, Emily wondered how she expected it to speak in its animal form but with human cognition he should be able to give her some feed back. Perhaps he wasn't like her? Perhaps when he was animal he was all animal …

"I've wondered if there were people out there like me ever since I started to … you know, transform. I even went as far as to search up my biological parents …"

Still nothing, Emily started to worry. "I'm like you."

_You're nothing like me, human! _A voice spat in her mind so sharply that Emily jumped and stared in shock at the bird, his beady eyes raging with anger.

"How - how did you do that?" Emily asked, touching her hand unconsciously to her temple, she started towards the cage, "how can you talk in my mind?"

A whole new world of possibilities opened up in Emily's mind, it occurred to her that this person, bird … thing, was far more comfortable and able with his abilities then she was. She was sure she could learn much from someone like him … if he wasn't determined to kill her. Emily frowned, that kind of put a kibosh on the whole thing. Jasyn twitched his head at her, was she playing with him? Jasyn could not scent lies from her, so it stood to reason that she actually didn't know how to speak telepathically. This was getting stranger by the minute, every were-hunter, Arcadian and Katagaria, could speak to each other when in their animal form by a common telepathic path. It wasn't mind reading or invasion it was simply a way of projecting thoughts from the mind so that another were-hunter might hear. It was one of the most basic and easiest of skills a were-hunter would learn from their family. This begged the question then of why her family had neglected her education?

"When you say you're nothing like me, what do you mean?" Emily said curiously, she peered at him through the cage like a fascinating lab experiment, the thought chilled Jasyn all the way through.

_You are human_, Jasyn said, forgetting his sneer in the face of overwhelming curiosity. _"I'm an animal."_

"But I've seen you human -"

"_Yes, but that's not my base form, my base form is that of a hawk."_

"And you don't like me because my … base form is that of a human?"

_Got it in one, sister,_ his voice growled in her head.

Emily silently pondered this for a moment, then abruptly yanked a chair over; she turned it around and straddled it, crossing her arms over its back.

"Okay, there are obviously some underlying issues here that I know nothing about," Emily said in a lets cut the crap kind of voice, "now I need you to tell me our race or breed or whatever."

_Why should I help you?_

"How can it harm you?" Emily snapped impatiently throwing up her hands, "you're simply telling me our history and particularly why it is you hate me. I need to know why I may end up fighting you, or people like you, for the rest of my life!"

Jasyn sat in moody silence for a moment, the spiteful side of him, which was the bigger side, wanted to leave her there, just dying for all the knowledge he possessed. The other part was so interested by her that he wanted to tell her everything, and for once the smaller part of him was victorious.

_Fine_, Jasyn snapped and Emily beamed, _if you let me out_.

Her smile dropped her face like jelly sliding off a plate, she chewed her lip and sighed, "you'll try to kill me."

Jasyn laughed at her and relished the sight of her pretty cheeks flushing red, _I won't_.

"I can't be sure of that -"

_What could I possibly do? _Jasyn asked slyly, _thanks to you I'm wounded and weak. I can't fly and I can't change back into my human form, if anyone should be worried about their life it's me. How do I know you won't eventually kill me?_

Emily's first reaction was righteous indignation and denial, she would never do a thing like that, her mouth snapped open to tell him so but she stopped herself. Best let him think that she was capable of it. Though if it came down to a him or her fight she wouldn't be so noble again.

"You'd deserve it if I did," she sniped at him. Emily stood up and moved towards the cage, taking a deep fortifying breath she flicked open the lock and opened the door, dreading the moments to come. Jasyn was shocked at how gullible and impressionable she was, he hadn't stayed alive all these centuries by being a weakling, of course he could change right now and he'd be able to hold his form too. In fact he could kill her faster then she could swat a fly. Jasyn hopped out of the cage and flew the short distance to the chair back, which he perched upon; Emily went about getting another chair, her movements slow and deliberate, her eyes forever looking sideways at him. Jasyn smiled to himself, she had enough self-preservation not to trust him implicitly.

"So," Emily said politely, she had sat down across from him, her legs crossed neatly as if she'd been plucked out of finishing school. "Would you like to continue?"


	5. Chapter 5

_What do you want to know?_

"Well …" Emily looked overwhelmed by the enormity of questions milling around in her head, she puffed out her cheeks, "for starters our origins. Where do we come from? Are there more of us? If so, how many? Erm, are we all hawks?"

Jasyn had begun to forget her list as soon as she had started reciting it; he tried to form an answer.

"And how do we -"

_One at a time, esko! _Jasyn snapped, Emily fell silent immediately, but she was perched on the edge of her seat literally bouncing with excitement. It was likely she would have snapped back at him had she not wanted this information so much, she looked likely to sell her soul for it. Jasyn laughed evilly in his mind, he knew a goddess who just might take her up that offer.

"You know, you're right, what I need is - aha!"

Emily looked around and pounced for a pad that she saw upon one of the filing cabinets, she quickly hunted up a pen and took her seat again. Jasyn craned his neck and twisted his head to see her neatly jotted bullet points and questions, he shook his head. She was mouthing wordlessly to herself, every now and then looking up at him as if taking inspiration for questions from him. She didn't have to worry about being star pupil, and it was unlikely he'd tell her 'that's the most common question' or 'everybody asks that'. Jasyn had no experience with explaining to someone that they were a Were-Hunter, everyone he'd ever known had been Were-Hunter and very much aware of it. Emily stared at him for a long moment, paled then scribbled furiously on the page. When she stopped she sat back and met Jasyn's expectant stare.

"Sorry about that," she said coughing delicately into her fist, "now … question one: our origins?"

Jasyn sighed starting the whole spiel; he thought it best to start from the very beginning, so he began about Atlantis, about how Apollites were created, about diamons and Dark-Hunters. Emily was a good listener, she didn't interrupt and she only sometimes made little squeak noises when something seemed to be particularly exciting or far out. Though she frequently threw out comments at him that were usually so quick that he had to take time to realise how sarcastic they were. He actually let a few slide until he wondered if he'd given her a fair inch and she was running up that mile she was taking, a few well placed death threats had done the trick. After an hour of talking which was more then he'd ever done in his life, Jasyn had never heard his voice so much, he decided to prod her into a tantrum just for fun, where she might start throwing out the scathing comments. He looked up, Jasyn noticed that she was taking notes and squawked; she almost jumped out of her chair, the pad slipped to the floor.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded crossly, rubbing her chest.

_Don't make records of this! What if someone finds them?_

"Oh, like they would believe it anyway," Emily scoffed, "they'll probably think it the plan for some silly fantasy novel for women."

_I don't give a shit! Either you get rid of them or this whole thing stops! _

"Does extreme paranoia come with being a complete asshole too?" she muttered.

"_No, but an infatuation with murder does."_

Emily glared at him defiantly before ripping the page out of the pad and beginning to tear it in pieces, when minuscule chunks littered her lap like snow; she gave Jasyn a sarcastic smile.

"I'll make sure to shred all this when I get home."

_You do that._

"Well, carry on. So the king found out his wife was an Apollite. Then what?"

Jasyn had had enough of her for today, he needed to go and rest somewhere so he could recharge his sarcasm battery.

_No more for today._

"Yes, there's lots more for today!" Emily stated just as firmly, "we haven't even made a dent on sections two and three."

_I don't care. Tomorrow._

"No today!" Emily growled and Jasyn narrowed his eyes, he wasn't prepared to take that tone from anyone. Least of all some two-bit Arcadian female. "Don't be so lazy! You've been shot in the wing not the mouth; you can just sit in your cage and tell me."

_You'd do well to remember, esko, that I could rip your heart out and eat it in front of you before you could get your ass out of that chair._

"Yeah, you can't even -" Emily was about to respond tauntingly when a flash of light so quick Emily wasn't sure if she'd seen it at all, burst before her eyes and bird boy stood there before her in all his naked glory. Emily barely managed a high pitched squeak of surprise before he run at her into the wall and held her loosely by the throat. Emily panted with fear looking up into startling green eyes.

"I thought you said you couldn't change form?" Emily said breathlessly.

"I lied," he growled, Jasyn felt her throat move under his palm as if she were swallowing, her skin there was so soft he could barely feel it. He wondered what she was like in her feathered form, generally female hawks were bigger then the males, he wondered if she was just as magnificent in that form as in this. "Now …"

The pause went on too long for Emily's piece of mind; words tumbled out of her mouth. "If you're going to kill me just be quick about it. I mean, you owe me a painless death after I helped you."

"You were the one that shot me!" Jasyn exclaimed, dumbfounded and insulted by her logic.

"Because you tried to kill me!" Emily snapped back, her hazel eyes flared and Jasyn felt his body sizzle like the end of a sparkler, he found himself rubbing his thumb gently over her pulse.

"Now we're even."

"Oh no, we are not, wise guy!" Emily cried, "you've tried to kill me twice. I saved you once and now you've attacked me. From where I'm standing you're in a shit load of debt, feather butt!"

I will not be amused, Jasyn thought, keeping his face stoic. Her audacity towards him was revitalising, he fed on it like some diamon. He still hated her kind, he was still disgusted by her but he couldn't help feeling amused by her, she was strange and refreshing. She was too human to be a real were-hunter and yet too were-hunter to be human, she was a strange combination of both worlds. A part of Jasyn was very curious to see how she coped having one foot through each door, would it split her in half? Only time would tell. Jasyn hoped not, when a person such as she was in his world of magic and demons and lives of lingering monotony, she was regarded as truly rare.

"That second time I wasn't there to kill you," Jasyn said just to see her eyes flash again.

"Bullshit!"

Jasyn tightened his grip ever so lightly around her throat and leant the length of his body against her clothed one, the feel of the fabric from her clothes was tantalising on his naked flesh. He felt his penis lengthen and he watched her eyes fly wide when she felt it also, the smell of her uncertainty, her fear and the slow; sweetening of her arousal was a lethal mix to Jasyn. Jasyn leant his head closer so he could take a deep whiff of her burgundy hair, the dark smell there made his blood sing.

Emily discreetly inhaled him also; the scent of him was so enticing and exotic, so manly that it made her practically orgasmic. Had he not tried to kill her and had his hand not been gripping her neck, Emily would have taken a chance of putting her hands in naughty places. When he shifted his body and she felt his throbbing arousal punch against her flat stomach Emily was quite sure she would pass out, her hands itched to cup his full, smooth flesh. The callused pad of his thumb caressed her pulse insistently, as if by rubbing it would somehow reveal something secret under the skin. Yeah, Emily's mind scoffed, like her hidden inner harlot! With every stroke of his thumb her legs widened until he was cradled in them, Emily had no idea whether this was his original idea but her worries seemed insignificant. Her breasts felt swollen and achy and she wished desperately for his lips to find a spot and start some action. What her mind really wanted was to wriggle out of his hold and slap him, she was so confused, did he hate and want to kill her? Did he get some kind of kick out of making women hotter then the sun before offing them?

"Why are you doing this?" Emily whispered, staring up into his handsome face, so handsome and sculpted, so hard and fierce. She kept her eyes fixed there for fear that if she looked anywhere else her eyes would drift down his muscular body and she would be lost to her hormones. Jasyn seemed to break out of whatever trance he had fallen into and with an obscene curse, pushed himself back from her. The throbbing in his cock was enough to rival that of his wounded shoulder, he could feel the toll it was taking on his body. His being in human form in daylight while wounded would make him change forms and likely pass out. He wasn't in Sanctuary anymore and should someone break in and find him he'd be screwed, Jasyn stared at Emily, they'd likely hurt her too. Heart rate picking up due to the fear his thoughts had caused, he flashed himself out of the surgery and away from Emily.

*************************************************************

Emily shut the door to her apartment after saying goodbye to Qassim and thanking him for giving her a ride home. He was still a little suspicious of her after she told him that the bird had died and she had disposed of its carcass, he'd shouted at her a bit then calmed down. Emily would like to say she was used to it but in truth he hadn't shouted at her that way since their assignment together at college. Emily yawned widely as she dropped her keys on the sideboard and thought about what was in the kitchen, she'd exhausted her brain with thoughts of what bird boy had told her and where he could be; now she simply needed to sleep. She could barely believe she had come home little over a day ago and she hadn't slept, she felt like the bionic woman. A part of her was tempted to stay up until she hallucinated just to see how long she could go on for. But then she reminded herself that not only was it both stupid and pointless, it was a little bit dangerous in her position, she needed to be alert at all times since her caustic, feathered friend had gone out of his way to kill her on more then one occasion.

"Hello _sartas_."

Emily almost tripped over her own feet on the way to the kitchen when a deep voice, that she was becoming quite accustomed to, purred out of the darkness of her living room corner. The tiffany lamp she kept on a small dark wood table came on and there he sat, bold as brass and cool as a cucumber - Emily shook her head, she was drowning in similes! Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she saw what he was sat on.

"Get your fat ass off that!" she screeched, stamping her foot and putting her hands on her hips, he arched a sexy, tawny eyebrow. "That is a Louis XV carved armchair! Do you realise how much I paid for that?"

"Too much obviously," he sniped back and Emily wanted to be appalled but she was too tired, "chairs are meant to be sat on."

Emily gave him a dirty look before going towards her coffee pot; she needed some serious caffeine in her if she was to maintain any type of decent conversation with him.

"You took ages getting here, I had to sit down."

"Next time I'll get you a perch," Emily replied tartly and to her amazement he laughed, a deep, rich laugh that rumbled out of his chest. "And next time you come and visit don't do that whole serial psycho killer routine by sitting in the corner with the light off."

"We both know we can see just as well without light. I'm surprised you didn't see me as soon as you came in."

Emily glared at him once again before setting out two cups and making them coffee, though he didn't look like he was in need of a pick me up.

Jasyn couldn't believe she had made him laugh; it had just rolled out of him like some unstoppable burp. He felt utterly awkward after he'd done it, he never laughed in public, not at anything as silly and non-threatening as that. She was simply being her sarcastic little self, and he was mad for her. His eyes travelled over her body, delightfully lean but curved in the right places, all Were-Hunters were beautiful but Emily was rather exceptional to Jasyn. He admitted he found her captivating. The colour of her hair was extraordinary, he expected her skin to be paler then moonshine with hair like that yet her honeyed flesh blended wonderfully with the unnatural redness, no other being alive had hair that colour. Jasyn found himself studying her ass and the length of her body; he flushed feeling rather uncomfortable that he had been looking at an Arcadian with lust. It didn't keep his eyes from straying towards her and he assured himself that as long as no one else knew, it was alright. It wasn't like he was going to make any moves on her. Emily came back with the coffee and handed him a cup, he took it without comment even though he detested coffee.

"Thank you, _sartas_."

Emily narrowed her eyes, "what the hell is that you're calling me? And that other name too? What was it, Eskimo?"

"Esko."

"That's it," her voice indicated that she wanted to be offended even though she had no clue what it meant.

"Esko means female … girl," Jasyn saw her eyes flash and his body lit up, he fought the urge to pounce, "and sartas means red in my language."

"What language?"

"Thracian," Jasyn said, he saw the look on her face, "I'm not lying and I am from there. We live long lives."

"My God," Emily breathed, her wide eyes drowning him, "how old are you?"

Jasyn went still as he stared down at her, even if he told her she couldn't possibly have any concept of how many years it actually was. It would simply be a number to her fresh human mind, to humans eighty was a good age to reach. His life was endless and lonely and dangerous, it would likely scare her to know that such loneliness awaited her, so he didn't tell her; it was one of his first acts of pure kindness.

"Older then you can imagine," he whispered back.

"Will I live to be your age?" her face was fearful, he didn't blame her, she was still practically human. Such things were unreal and scary; it would be scarier once she had a taste of how long a life could be.

"Most likely, even longer," Jasyn replied, knowing that he would not die a natural death with the many enemies he had out there. "But don't worry; I'll be long gone before you reach it."

Her face did not lighten, for some reason it darkened and she looked more worried, Emily moved to sit by her window sill; Jasyn did the same, the window sill being long and wide enough to accommodate both of them comfortably. They sat in silence for a bit, she sipping her coffee, he turning his cup in his hands.

"The king watched his wife die on her twenty-seventh birthday," Jasyn said suddenly as if he were simply answering something she had just said, rather then picking it up hours later. He watched her eyes snap to his face and give him her immediate wrapped attention; it did something to his insides to see her so.

"He realised that his two sons would go the same way and he set out to save them. He conducted experiments, magically splicing the DNA of Apollites and the strongest of animals. Bears, tigers, lions, wolves, hawks," Jasyn tipped his cup towards her, "panthers, dragons -" Her eyes widened, "and jackals."

"The Fates didn't like the thought of the Apollites cheating death, so they demanded that he kill his creations, bearing in mind that his sons were now alive and had no chance of dying. The king refused, so they cursed our race. They decreed that for his hubris the king would watch his sons and his creations kill each other, they gave one son the heart of a man and the other the heart of an animal and said that there would never be peace between the two races. We would be destined to fight and kill each other until we become extinct. And so it has been."

Jasyn saw Emily shiver and look away from him; perhaps she was now seeing the differences between them. "As well as that another part of the curse was that the fates would decide our mates for us, we would play no part in it. And it would be binding. When we find our mates we get three weeks in which time we must mate formally or spend the rest of our lives impotent."

Emily wrinkled her nose, "the males that is. Females simply can't have children with anyone but their designated mate."

"Pretty harsh."

"Very harsh," Jasyn corrected, stressing his words. They sat in silence after that, Jasyn had expected questions, tons of questions, questions that were both simple and complicated, but instead there was silence. Jasyn was content just to watch Emily as she pondered, her soft lips rubbing against one another while her long fingers held tight to her cup. Jasyn felt a warmth in his lower belly and knew it was the start of his arousal putting in a show, Jasyn licked his lips, he wanted to rub up tight against her, the way they had been in her doctor friend's house. But this time with no clothing separating them or dulling the sensations, he knew it was wrong to want an Arcadian the way he did but he kept reminding himself that as long as he did not act he would not be betraying his Katagaria code.

"What's your name?"

Jasyn blinked, that was not the question he was expecting, "Jasyn."

"Jason -"

"No," he corrected her firmly, "Jasyn. _Sin_."

"Oh," Emily watched the way his lips move as he pronounced his name, it seemed so fitting that his name would have the word sin in it. He was sin. So dangerous and deadly yet so unbelievably tempting, Emily knew he was the type of male that would have a woman craving more. His beauty was a sin.

"Is that why you tried to kill me? Because I'm human?"

Emily watched Jasyn's body grow very still, his eyes glinting while his face was cast in shadow, he posed a menacing picture but Emily wanted to hear it from his lips and if it was the answer she expected, she wanted to know if he was still hell bent on continuing his plan.

"No." Emily arched an eyebrow and let out a shallow breath. "Then why did you attack me?"

"Because I thought you were going to attack me," Jasyn's eyes flashed dangerously. "Haven't you been listening? You are human and I am an animal. We are meant to hate and kill each other, it is our destiny. I despise your race and very soon you'll hate mine. The very fact that we are sitting here and not tearing at each others throat is a miracle."

Emily opened her mouth preparing to object but she couldn't, in fact a small part of her wanted to cry. Stupidly she'd expected this new world to be wonderful and exciting, Jasyn's life was scary and fraught with danger and hers would be too from what he was saying. But she couldn't comprehend why someone would hate her for something that wasn't her fault, she couldn't help what heart she was born with.

"Your life is so frightening to me," Emily whispered, Jasyn was about say something flip and sarcastic but he found he didn't truly have the heart to muster it. He'd been as open and honest with her as he knew how to be, Jasyn barely spoke to anyone and he confided in no one, but with her he had a stupid notion of sharing one small part of himself.

"Me too."

Emily felt her eyes sting and before she could stop herself she raised her hand to lie against his cheek, his eyes blazed out of his face like emerald flames as they fixed her within their mesmerising light. Emily saw her hand tremble on his muscled jaw, she'd felt the same feeling when she'd sat beside a wild Gorilla in the Congo. She'd sat before it, knowing it could rip her body apart before the camera crew and the guards could help her. That's what she felt now, the exhilarating fear of being next to something so dangerous and powerful, and she was actually touching him. And he was letting her! Emily was about to withdraw from him when his hand suddenly whipped out and caught her head, thinking that he was going to hurt her she screamed with fright, then gasped as his lips crashed down on her own.

The kiss was a short one, but it was passionate and deep, Jasyn wrenched his lips from Emily's sweet mouth as she let out a moan. The noise caused Jasyn's erect penis to twitch, he imagined her making those noises as he slipped himself into her body, so caught up in his fantasy that he didn't realise he had spoken aloud.

"Would I what?" Emily asked, a frown of confusion on her face, Jasyn shook his head a realised his hand was still cupping the back of her head, he quickly let her go.

"What?"

"You asked me if I would let you …? Not sure what that means," Emily's lips were throbbing and she wanted him to pull her against him again. She'd been so long without a man that she had forgotten just how delicious that feeling of arousal and attraction was. Without realising it Emily began to look at him with hooded eyes and her voice slipped a few notches lower. "Would I let you what?"

Jasyn stood up abruptly and walked away from Emily; he was rubbing his thighs and running them through his hair, if it were possible Emily would think he looked a little bit nervous.

"Would you let me … s-see the - that tape?"

"Tape?"

"Yeah, the one you were rolling when we first met." Jasyn's startling green eyes almost looked panicked, but Emily found that almost impossible to believe. Then her mind clicked into place and the memory of Jasyn flying at her and trying to gouge her eyes with his talons came back, as did his insistence that none of what he'd told her be recorded. Emily wanted to slap herself, she felt so stupid, the man was as cold as ice! No, she took that back, he wasn't cold to her at all, he was hot for her but she disgusted him. She was human and the aftermath of kissing her was not appealing to him by the looks of it.

"Oh," she said coldly, "that tape."

"Yeah, can I have it?"

Emily got up to give herself thinking time, consciously she prowled over to the large, dark wood, wine cabinet/dresser, that stood on one side of the fireplace, taking up the wall. She eyed the lower cupboard where she had stored the tape, so that's what the bastard wanted! Emily turned to face him with her arms folded across her chest, "I don't think that's possible."

"Come again?"

"You heard me, the tape is mine and other then your attempted murder it has various shots of wildlife on there that I will be using in my research."

"You stupid -"

"And that's really going to get you the tape," Emily countered smoothly as she walked past him to the kitchen where she emptied her cup. "Insulting me and calling me names. Smart, _veerry _smart, bird brain."

Jasyn couldn't remember the last time, if there ever was a time when a woman, anyone, had been this dismissive and cavalier with him. The woman had gob smacked him into silence. He may have used the tape as a good excuse to cover up for his moment of idiocy, but now finding out that she hadn't disposed of it only made Jasyn want to shake her. He was dumbfounded as for why she hadn't gotten rid of the damnable thing - but then, his mind reminded him fairly, she was new to their world. Still she wasn't stupid, she was extremely intelligent, she would know what evidence like that could do to the Were-hunter world.

_Did I just give her a compliment?_

Damn, he had! And - _oh, Gods! _- had he actually kissed her? Of course he had, he could still feel the tantalising tingle in his lips and the pain of his erection, who had kissed who? Had he kissed her, yes now he remembered … feeling the irresistible urge to clamp his mouth to hers and battle her for domination, would she submit? Would she fight? The questions had milled about in his head until he had to, just had to know. She was a fighter, her tongue fought him for dominance and she pushed back against him, letting him know what she wanted and what she was willing to give. She was definitely giving him the cold shoulder now though; it was back to the insults again. It had only been a bloody kiss! Granted a painfully passionate and devastating to the system kind of kiss, but … a kiss was just a kiss, right? Perhaps she was one of those human females that viewed any type of sexual connection - that being a kiss up to a fuck - as something to be thought out and weighed up? If so, she needed to snap out of that silly modesty fast, if she ever wanted to find her mate, and Jasyn would bet all the teeth in his head that she did, she would have to sleep with every human and Were she came across.

"Give me that tape!" Jasyn snarled at her, deciding intimidation worked just as well as persuasion, and if not that then coercion. "Our world is a secret that cannot afford to be let out. What would humans do if they found out what we are? What we're capable of? We'd be in a lab, under microscopes faster then a frog could catch a fly. It's that simple, Dr. McLean, either you destroy the tape or we destroy you."

"We?" Emily felt her innards go cold but stood defiant anyway.

"Do you think a race as highly evolved as ours doesn't have its own set of laws and justice system?"

"If you're so evolved why are you still letting Fate dictate to you your enemies? Why do you hate another race simply because Fate said you should?"

"Why do humans? If you're race of humans are so evolved why are you still bombing countries and killing in the name of religion?" Jasyn retaliated scathingly. "Why does a child die every three seconds in a third world country?"

Emily opened her mouth to retort but the words stuck in her throat, he was right; she could hardly throw the rights and wrongs of prejudice and bigotry back in his face when humans were the biggest culprits for it around.

"Forget it," Jasyn said, agitated, "the point is by Were-Hunter law you have to destroy that tape. Our world is bigger then you are and has been around much longer then you have. And over this Arcadians and Katagaria alike will hunt you down and annihilate you to keep our world safe. You hold the biggest threat to us in your hands, is it worth your life?"

Jasyn hoped to God she wouldn't be foolish enough to think of dying like some martyr over this tape, he studied her face and didn't see any sign of wavering there. In his mind he tried to block out her words but they were deafening. Why hate simply because Fate said you should? Why indeed? Jasyn's heart hardened in a nanosecond, he hated Arcadians because they were butchers that took from him everything and left him with nothing, and the Fates had fuck all to do with it! She could keep her flimsy, half ass arguments on the rights and wrongs of it, she had known his world for five minutes. Jasyn had lived it for more then one lifetime and he knew from experience that whether by Fates decree or his own, he would never stop hating or hunting Arcadians.

"I'll give you the tape," Emily said after what felt like half an hour of silence between them, she watched Jasyn breathe a sigh of relief before she dropped her bombshell. "If you give me something in return."

Jasyn's lips curled and he raked her with a venomous stare, Emily raised her chin defiantly, she needed guts and gumption if she was to get through this unscathed. "Nothing in this world comes for free," she remarked shrewdly and Jasyn scoffed, though a part of him respected her logic, he himself had used that phrase many a time.

"It does if you're willing to kill for it," Jasyn retorted, she turned her back to him and walked towards her counter at the farther end of the kitchen. Jasyn wanted to know if it was through fear and bravado, or was she genuinely so dismissive and untroubled by him? Jasyn refused to believe the latter so it had to be the former.

"True," Emily agreed casually, before turning around and facing Jasyn with a hard, no-nonsense face. "However it's always the good businessman that listens to all deals, even if he doesn't make everyone of them. My proposition is this: I want - no, I _need _to know all I can about my life, my world. I want to know your world. I can't do that on my own, I know nothing about it and I know no one in it."

Emily paused and looked at Jasyn, twisting her hands, "save you."

"I need someone to show me the inner workings of Were-Hunter life, the - the dynamics of your social systems, your traditions, your etiquette. The do's and don'ts. You understand?"

Jasyn cursed and she stepped forward, her eyes wide and beseeching, Jasyn felt his own eyes widen, he felt her conviction coming off of her in waves.

"For that gift I would give almost anything … to have that knowledge," Emily said softly, shakily, "for that gift you can have the tape and I will be in your debt. So you can call me friend."

"I don't want your friendship," he snapped without thinking and Emily winced, fearing she'd bungled it she changed tactics.

"That's true. But what better way to know and beat your enemy then to have them honour bound to be beholden to you? Knowing an Arcadian is distasteful, but would it make it bearable if that Arcadian was indebted to you big time."

"You talk of honour as if you have any?" Jasyn sneered, the modern world knew nothing of the days of old and time gone by, when honour and reputation was as vital to a man and his family as was the blood running through his veins.

"Well, I believe that if I forfeited that honour when it is called into question. The repercussions are yours to dish out." Emily's body shook, what was she saying? What in Gods name was she giving him the right to do? Kill her?

"You are in my debt then?"

"Yes."

"For life?" Jasyn asked tauntingly, his tone gleefully malicious, Emily swallowed feeling as if she were about to shake hands with Lucifer.

"For life," she repeated. Jasyn let out a mirthless laugh and scratched the back of his neck, his laugh rolling out of him like acid, painful to Emily's ears. Nothing like the low, deep rumble she had heard earlier in the evening. The only good thing Emily could sense was that she knew that on some level, even if it disgusted him, Jasyn wanted her. Badly. And that gave her some kind of leverage, didn't it? Males of all species had the best part of their brain in their trousers; Emily guessed Jasyn was likely to be the same. A part of her was ashamed of using his attraction to her to get what she wanted, Emily had never been one to play those kind of games with men, she had always been pretty up front and honest with her feelings in that department. Yet if success lingered on his tender feelings for her, if he were capable of any, then she would have to exploit them. But she refused to be a whore, she would not sleep with him, Emily looked up to see him still cackling insanely to himself, she may want what he could give her but she would not sell herself for it. Nothing was worth her pride and no man was worth her life, should all this go awry she would give him the tape and high tail it away from him.

Jasyn stopped laughing abruptly and Emily raised an eyebrow, "feel better?"

Jasyn gave her a crooked, evil smile, "pack your bags," he ordered softly, lunacy lacing his voice.

"W-where am I going?"

"Were-Hunter culture capital of the world, baby."

"Europe?" Emily said innocently.

"New Orleans." Emily gulped.


	6. Chapter 6

Emily quickened her pace trying to catch up with Jasyn as he stormed ahead through the crowds at the station. Growing up in New York she was used to the rat race that had her feet moving on fast auto pilot, but Jasyn was inhumanly fast. Emily rolled her eyes, he wasn't human. Duh! Neither was she, so why was she huffing and puffing behind him?

_Because you're not tapping into your powers!_

Emily growled and lugged her holdall higher on to her shoulder; she felt its hard plastic covered corner dig into the soft flesh of her side, causing her to curse. Finally getting so frustrated Emily simply stopped trying to catch up with Jasyn and concentrating on doing something that could possibly make her life easier.

"There are wheels on this damn thing for a reason," Emily murmured under her breath, crouching down and trying to pull the extended handle from the holdall. People cut around her like a school of angry sardines making irritated, gruff noises at her for blocking their path before swarming together again as they raced for their train.

"Ha haha haha," Emily sang delightedly when the stubborn handle popped out, Emily stood quickly, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "There we go."

Emily looked ahead and saw Jasyn's tall, broad shoulders above everyone else's, he was rapidly putting distance between them and Emily felt a little irritated that he hadn't even bothered to see if she was with him. She started through the crowd, running as best as she could in her heels, when suddenly she felt a hard tug on the spiked heel of her boot, her other leg attempted to move even though she was stuck, her foot slipped inside the shoe but didn't come out of it and Emily went sprawling. She landed hard on her knees, hurting them on the cold, hard concrete, her palms hit the floor and that made her cringe more then the pain. Emily firmly believed that the New York City subway was going to one day be confirmed to be the source of plague. Emily looked behind her to see the heel of her shoe scuffed and trapped in a drain, she looked around and saw to her dismay that no one even looked at her, but moved around her like she was some homeless beggar they wished to ignore.

Emily tugged again and cursed herself for wearing heels, she knew there would be walking involved today, with the chance of running should they be late for the train, as they were now. But she'd relished the feeling of walking out of her apartment in her skirt, slightly tight sweater and ankle high siren boots. She liked seeing Jasyn's eyes flare and blithely pretending not to notice, right now she couldn't care less what Jasyn thought since the bastard wasn't about to stop and help her. Emily could curse herself for going to all the effort to make him notice her when he barely spoke more then a few words to her all morning. He had changed so dramatically from the chatty Cathy he was last night that Emily wondered whether there were deeper psychological issues at work there.

"What happened here?" Emily looked up at a kindly, laughing voice, an extremely handsome brindle haired man smiled down at her. His matching coloured goatee was neatly trimmed and was strangely alluring, considering Emily preferred her men clean cut. He's black suit was cut perfectly and moved with him as if it had been made for him. His light brown eyes sparkled with obvious amusement and Emily felt a crimson blush flow like a wave from her neck to her forehead. Before she could answer him however, Emily heard a foul curse from behind her and turned her head. Jasyn was steaming back through the crowd, pushing waspish looking yuppies out of his path as if they were made of nothing more solid then cotton candy. He reached Emily who covered her head with her arms, certain from the look on Jasyn's face that he was going to jump the guy.

"Get away from her!" Jasyn snarled at the guy, the man flicked his lovely eyes up to Jasyn, his face didn't lose its smile but it lost any real warmth that it had once held.

"Well, well, Jasyn, I didn't realise you were prepared to bring others into our game," the man admonished like a disappointed father. "I must say I'm rather saddened by the news. I think I rather liked having you all to myself."

"Fuck you, Arion!" Jasyn snarled and Arion threw back his head and laughed.

"Witty as ever, my enemy."

Emily raised a disbelieving eyebrow, he said enemy with a fondness that others would use with the term friend. Were the pair of them insane? There was an unspoken connection between the pair of them that made Emily wonder how they knew with each other. Emily stopped wondering when Arion looked down at her.

"Emily move!" Jasyn demanded, when she simply sat there he toed her leg, "now!"

"I can't," Emily snapped back as if he were dense.

"Ever the gentleman, I see," Arion commented dryly, before his voice became cold. "I'm surprised at you, Jasyn. Isn't it bad enough that you kill every Arcadian that crosses your path? Now you kidnap our women?"

"She's nothing to do with this, Arion, and if you touch her I swear there will be nothing of this earth that will keep you safe."

Emily looked up at Jasyn in surprise but he was staring venomously at Arion, Arion himself looked completely dumbfounded, his eyes flickered from Jasyn to Emily and back again. He sniffed up.

"You aren't mated," he stated firmly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Jasyn snarled at him, "now leave, before I forget that about exposure and rip your ass to shreds."

When Arion spoke again his face and voice were no longer mocking or amused, they were both dangerous and hard.

"You hand her over now, Jasyn. No innocents are allowed to be brought into this and you know it. You take one of ours and you'll pay for it, there will be no reprieves, no second chances. This time I will fight to kill you."

"And you'll lose," Jasyn stated with deadly purpose, Emily winced when Jasyn's hands closed around her collar and under her arm and hauled her up. Her boot heel came free as if she had never even caught it. Arion looked incensed and growled low in his throat.

"This isn't over," Arion warned and Jasyn scoffed at him, Arion turned to walk away.

"Just for the record," Jasyn said, knowing Arion would hear him, "I fought to kill. Every time."

Arion didn't look back as he paused to hear those words then he casually continued walking again, Emily looked at Jasyn who was watching after Arion with a look of disgust on his face.

"Who was that?"

Jasyn ignored her; instead he grabbed her hand and yanked her along behind him, parting the crowd like a king. Emily pulled her holdall along on its wheels and tried not to wince when she caught sight of her grazed and bloody knees.

* * *

Emily and Jasyn didn't speak again until they had settled on the train that would take them to New Orleans, stopping off at Washington and Atlanta on the way. This was making Jasyn nervous; he hadn't thought for one second that Arion was going to track him down here, though Jasyn was more then ready for a confrontation with the bastard. He wanted to kick his smug, human ass. But Emily effectively tied his hands behind his back; he couldn't go after Arion without leaving her stranded and in danger. Perhaps taking her to Sanctuary really was a smart thing to do? He hadn't thought so in the beginning, but now …

He sat them at the back of the first class carriage and was thankful that there did not seem to be a lot of people travelling with them. The carriage had very few people and they were all sparsely spaced out, Jasyn sat in the roomy seats beside Emily, who was by the window. Jasyn looked down at her lowered head; she was fiddling with the bottom of her skirt, which incidentally was far too sexy for a woman to wear outside the bedroom. Without meaning to Jasyn took a deep breath and inhaled the fragrance of her hair, "what are you doing?" he asked.

Emily flicked her hair out of her eyes as she sent an irritated glare up at him, she held up at bloodied tissue and gave him a duh kind of expression.

"How did that happen?"

Emily absolutely refused to dignify it with an answer and so just ignored him and carried on dabbing at her knees that were suddenly stinging a lot more then they were before. Jasyn watched with his head tilted as she used a bottle of water to dampen the tissue and then try and wipe away the dirt without aggravating the grazes and cuts. She worked in silence, but as roomy as the seat were, there was not enough space for her to stretch her legs out and cleanse the wounds lower on her legs.

"Oh, come here!" Jasyn snapped irritably and yanked at her knee, Emily hissed at him when his hand accidentally touched her stinging knees. Jasyn looked sheepish and a tad contrite, which surprised Emily a little, "didn't mean to do that," he said gruffly. Emily allowed him to pull her legs over his knees and then went as limp as a doll as he began to gently smooth away the black grit that had settled on her flesh. Jasyn found it hard to breathe all of a sudden; he smoothed his hand up her calf ... it felt so warm and soft in his palm. It was so shapely. He wrapped his hand around her ankles which were delicate and small, so small in fact that he could wrap his entire hand around it and still have finger space. Smoothing his palm up her calf once more Jasyn felt his eyes drift closed, her skin was as silky as feathers.

"Jasyn?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you feeling me up?"

Jasyn's eyes flew open and blood flushed his cheeks, he immediately snarled at her, "no!"

"Sorry," Emily said not meaning it, "you were just fondling my leg a lot."

"I wasn't - I was helping you - do it yourself!" Jasyn gave her legs a shove.

"Okay, okay, sorry. Jeesh!" Emily tried to keep her lips from twitching, she kept her legs where they were and Jasyn went back to dabbing at her cut knees, though his hands were far less free and it was something Emily was sorry for.

"Are you - um," Emily found she lost track of her thoughts whenever Jasyn touched her or fixed his bright green eyes on hers; shaking her head she cleared her throat. "Will you be alright on here tonight?"

Again he brought his head up and beamed her with those bright green marbles of his, Emily blinked.

"What do you mean?" he asked in his naturally deep voice.

"Well, you won't be able to sleep without, you know …" Emily let her voice trail off with a knowing look; a miniscule smile tugged at Jasyn's lips but was gone before he spoke.

"I wouldn't ever sleep out in the open like this anyway," Jasyn said and threw her a look that was both smug and reprimanding, if you can imagine it. "You have a lot to learn about survival as a Were, doctor. You've just become fair game to the merciless Katagaria that haunt this world."

Something in his tone suggested he was being sarcastic but his very expression told Emily he was speaking truth. Emily didn't know where she was with him; he was such a bundle of contradictions, a mixture of truth and lies, mercy and cruelty, human and animal. His dual personalities sifting into one another so frequently and without announcement that he confused her, and his unpredictability, which he would have attributed to his being an animal, was a little unnerving for Emily.

"You're going to stay awake all night?" Emily asked with an edge to her voice that Jasyn noticed; his smile when it came was edged with malice.

"Do you trust me to watch over you?" he asked tauntingly, Emily looked in to the eyes of a natural born killer and could not quite find an answer, for to answer affirmative might not necessarily be the whole truth.

"I can never sleep on these things," Emily answered, keeping her voice neutral, "I'm not tired anyway."

It was a lie and Jasyn smelt it, she didn't trust him which pleased Jasyn to some extent, it showed she had a measure of self-preservation.

"Liar," he breathed, staring at her without blinking, Emily flushed and looked away from him out the window. Jasyn sat back in his seat with a satisfied smile twisting his lips, he didn't let go of her legs though, he held them in his lap, his hand settled over her ankle like a manacle.

* * *

Jasyn knew that Emily had fallen asleep by the sound of her heart beat and her breathing; her body had lost its tenseness and relaxed more fully into the seat, her legs becoming dead weight in his lap. Still Jasyn did not remove her legs from him, her weight to him was slight and he didn't mind it, he looked into her face in its quiet repose as she dreamed. Her unnaturally coloured hair fanned out over her shoulders in soft waves that were more the effect of how many times she tucked it behind her ears, or screwed it up at the base of her neck rather then any actual style she was trying to achieve. Jasyn looked down at her knees, they were completely healed, the soft, smooth honeyed skin mended as if it had never been broken. He knew they would be, Emily evidently hadn't, there was so much she didn't know and it made his world all the more dangerous for her. She was an innocent really, perhaps more then any other were-hunter he'd ever known, she just caught up in a world that she knew nothing about. She had been brought into a war not of her making, simply because she had won, or lost as the case may be, the genetic lottery.

She obviously knew nothing of who she was ... her clan, her parents; she'd grown up very much alone. Jasyn couldn't help feeling a certain amount of disgust towards her parents; surely they would have seen the damage leaving her in the care of unaware humans could have wrought. And may already have wrought unless he got rid of that tape. But then it may not have been their choice, like many were-hunters they may have simply died fighting against their Katagaria cousins and hadn't lived long enough to store their child in a stable, safe environment amongst her own kind.

From what little conversation they'd had Jasyn deduced that Emily had only just hit puberty, which was strange as young were-hunters, those that had just hit puberty specifically, in general were very immature. They were still like teenagers in their twenties and it took until they were at least a century old to be considered full grown. Yet Emily was a mature woman, she was independent, lived by herself, took care of herself, was from what he could see fairly intellectual and emotionally mature, not to mention sexually mature. That was the biggest surprise for Jasyn Weres rarely reached full sexual maturity so soon after full puberty, and never before. The direction of his thoughts had Jasyn's eyes flicking higher then her knees, perhaps Emily was a case study for the whole nurture vs. nature debate, either way Jasyn felt a little strange for checking out a woman so young - in were-hunter years that is.

Emily moved in her sleep, she made a little noise and turned her face into the chair, Jasyn watched her mouth eagerly, her lips parted ever so slightly and Jasyn felt his own imitate them. In her sleep she moved her leg, cocking her knee slightly so that they were parted by a few scant inches; it left an enticing darkness in the gap of her skirt that made Jasyn breathless. It housed the mysteries of womanhood that drove men wild, Jasyn stared at her knees and wondered whether she had gone into her mating season yet? Who, if anyone, had assuaged her urges to mate? Jasyn felt himself begin to harden, felt the tell-tale tingles that accompanied being turned on by a very sexy female. He just wanted a taste of her, shameful though it was for she was Arcadian, but he was being badly tempted. Just to press his lips to the skin of her legs, and let his tongue taste it, perhaps trail up towards her thighs, and then he would stop. He had to stop, otherwise he'd take her in the seat where she was laying, oblivious to his lascivious thoughts. Jasyn was ashamed of himself, he may be a lot of things but he would never take advantage of a woman, not while she was asleep and helpless, it just wasn't right. Yet he growled when he thought of how good she would taste, before he could stop himself the hand resting on her leg began and slow, firm massage of her shapely calf. Just the feel of that innocent part of her body sent him into overdrive and he became breathless and hard from it. Emily woke slowly to the feel of someone working her leg in a very skilfully erotic way; she opened her eyes and found Jasyn staring at her, his mouth parted and his breathing heavy. Jasyn felt his rock hard erection give a throb when he saw that her cheeks were flushed from sleep and her eyes were heavy and sexy looking as they stared back at him in mild surprise. Jasyn didn't think about whether he dare do what he wanted, he just did it, his hand smoothed up her leg, pushing her skirt higher as it went and began to repeat the erotic massage on her thigh. Jasyn watched her face intently, her lips parted and her eyes became more intense, the smell of her arousal was potent.

"You like this," Jasyn stated, even he heard the slight surprise in his voice, he knew he was handsome and most human women begged him to sleep with them, but for some reason he thought Emily may have reservations about him. Be it his acerbic personality or the fact that he tried to kill her yet she responded wonderfully, sitting up and leaning forward, Jasyn's eyes flared when he realised what she wanted and he wasted no time complying.

Emily tried to keep down a moan that escaped her when Jasyn surged forward and kissed her, his hand didn't leave its spot on her thigh, but his grip got harder as the kiss became more urgent. There lips and tongues pushing and fighting with each other, their breath mingling and all the time their bodies strained to touch and be closer, yet there was the background knowledge that they were not alone.

There was a very deliberate cough from behind Jasyn which he chose to ignore but Emily pulled back abruptly, her face was the colour of her hair. Jasyn sent a glare over his shoulder at a middle aged woman who gave him a withering glare of her own.

"Young man, I believe you are aware of such things as public decency laws?"

Jasyn raised an eyebrow at her and she mimicked him, "we weren't doing anything wrong," he remarked a little sullenly. The woman gave a pointed look to his hand on Emily's thigh, Emily blushed a deep shade of red before removing her legs from him and trying to press herself into the corner of the seat, as far away from him as it was possible to get. The woman made a meaningful noise before passing on giving them an obvious I-am-keeping-my-eyes-on-you look, Jasyn sneered and turned back to Emily.

She had her head down looking at her lap, her hair falling forward to cover her face, she peeked up after the woman had passed and gave him a guilty look. Jasyn looked completely unrepentant and leaned back in his seat; he gave the woman a sarcastic wave as she glared at him suspiciously from the other end of the carriage. Emily let out a guilty giggle she tried to stifle with one hand and with the other she grabbed at his arm.

"Don't give her reason to have us thrown off!"

Jasyn didn't say a word, he didn't even look at her and Emily had the typical female reaction of wanting to know what he was thinking, she wanted to ask but he didn't seem in the mood to speak.

"So …" Emily broke the silence awkwardly, Jasyn turned to look at her.

"It was a mistake, nothing more," he said abruptly and went back to staring down the aisle, Emily was shocked into silence. Her urge to snap at him was dampened by a sudden feeling of hurt; she squelched it immediately, reprimanding herself. She wasn't here for smooching and cuddles; she needed him for one thing and once that was done their business with each other was finished as far as she was concerned. Plus he so wasn't her type. Emily laid her head back on the head rest and stared out the window, trying to force her mind into pleasurable blankness to take the sting from his rejection.


	7. Chapter 7

Emily looked up at the sign which was a motorcycle on a hill silhouetted against a rising full moon, outside dozens of motorbikes were parked and several hairy looking men congregated together. They looked up and stared at her as she walked past, as much as Emily was loath to depend on him she stayed very close to Jasyn.

"What is this place?" Emily asked as they approached the door, Jasyn spared her a disdainful glance.

"It is what it says, sanctuary for our kind. Its official name is a Limani, which binds all were-hunters by the laws of the house which provides sanctuary for were-hunters, daimons, demons …

Jasyn missed a beat, "well, sometimes. Demons aren't always bound by our laws."

"Uhuh," Emily said, her head practically spinning.

As they approached the door, Emily caught sight of one of the handsomest men she'd ever seen, she and Jasyn joined the back of the line of humans filing slowly into the bar. The queue was a weird mix of bikers, locals and tourists and surprisingly a lot of women. The handsome bouncer at the door laughed at something a guy said who he was letting through the door, the laugh was deep and rich, he brushed a hand at his hair, moving the blond curls from his face. Nearly all the women in the line, Emily included, felt their knees wobble and they stretched around the bodies in front to catch a look at him. Emily looked back up at Jasyn who was staring ahead of him at nothing, though he looked like he was biting viciously on his tongue.

"Is he a …?"

"Yes," Jasyn snapped belligerently, Emily frowned at him.

"Are they all so handsome?"

Jasyn sneered at her, "You're one of us. Or have you forgotten already."

"Yeah but … look at you guys," Emily whispered to him, shrugging off his god-awful mood swings. "You all look like you should be on a runway or in vogue. I know I definitely need to lose some pounds and I have the worst split ends. You guys all look like you've been carved from cream cheese."

Jasyn arched a brow at her but said nothing, Emily could see things were going on in that mind of his but he wouldn't divulge, which was fine with her since it was their turn to approach the guy at the door.

"You should ask for a room," Jasyn said casually before moving forward into the bar, leaving Emily outside gaping after him. Emily looked up at the handsome man in front of her, her mouth still hanging open in shock, the guy sniffed suspiciously, he then leant inside, "Aimee!"

A few moments later a beautiful, slim blond woman with similar features to the bouncer came to the door, she looked inquiringly at the man.

"I think she may need a room," he said and gave Emily's luggage a pointed look the woman stared curiously for a moment before beckoning her inside.

"Thank you," Emily responded meekly, before stepping into Sanctuary.

* * *

The woman, Aimee, led Emily through the bar where she encountered blatant stares. They came to a door where a replica of the beautiful man outside stood. Wow, gorgeous twins!

Emily stared and he stared back, unlike the man outside there was no glint of kindness there, he was cold and steely, Emily gulped.

"Let us through, Remi, she's asking for a room," Aimee said with obvious impatience, before the man could say anything a woman opened the door he was guarding. Emily knew she was human; the scent she projected was the same kind that she's smelt on her friends, the scent of the human gene. Remi looked at her and Emily gaped, his eyes softened immediately and she stepped closer to him, on her hip was a baby with jet black hair in a clean, white baby-grow.

"He's getting a little fussy; I think he wants you to put him down tonight."

The woman gave Emily and Aimee a soft smile when the pouting baby reached his little arms out for his father. Emily cocked her head at them, the baby looked nothing like either the father or the mother, his skin and hair looked far too dark, but the man didn't seem to notice this obvious difference. He pulled the child to his chest and rocked him all the while manoeuvring his wife back with his body, Aimee motioned for Emily to follow them.

"It's no place for a baby out there," the father murmured to the now quiet baby, who was looking up at his dad with sleepy eyes. "Too smoky, too many drunks."

The man touched his wife's cheek and she moved closer so he could lean in to kiss her. The whole scene happened without the slightest regard to whoever was looking on, Emily saw Aimee watching her and blushed, not wanting the woman to think she was being nosy or eavesdropping.

"That's my brother, Remi," Aimee explained as she led Emily up a flight of stairs, "ever since he's been mated he's been like that. He was worse before."

"Do you own this place?" Emily asked in an awed voice, her eyes consuming her beautiful surroundings.

"My family does. We own the bar which is a front for what we really do."

"A Limani?" Emily asked curiously, Aimee glanced over her shoulder at Emily.

"Yes."

Emily fell silent so she could observe the house, it was decorated in a timeless way, so expensive and rich in taste and colour, it had lots of wooden cabinets with antiques placed carefully in them. Emily and Aimee stood politely back as two men came down the stairs; both inclined their heads respectfully to Aimee, who returned the gesture with impeccable grace, as they passed. Then their eye slid to Emily, they inhaled deeply and their eyes narrowed on Emily, who smiled tentatively. Emily pressed herself into the wall when they sneered at her; Aimee passed her arm in front of Emily's chest, offering a flimsy shield which Emily was profoundly grateful for.

"Move it along now, fellas," Aimee said firmly, "you know the laws; don't start any business you can't finish."

The man in front of Emily growled, actually growled, and then he and his friend moved on, Emily looked up at Aimee who seemed completely unperturbed.

"You'll have to excuse them," she said, "they're whole family was slaughtered by Arcadians. They get a little testy from time to time."

"But I didn't do anything," Emily gasped indignantly, very shaken by the utter hatred in the men's eyes.

"You're Arcadian," Aimee said as if she were obtuse and carried on walking, Emily followed quickly, not wanting to be left behind in case the men or others like them came back.

"But you didn't look at me as if you wanted to brutally hack me to pieces?" Emily said, grateful when Aimee laughed.

"To be honest I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly pass through this place. As far as I'm concerned it's live and let live, unless you offend me. Then I can't hold the bear in check."

Emily frowned, "you're a bear?" she asked cynically, she'd never seen a person look less like a bear, then she frowned further, she supposed that's what most people would say if she told them she was a hawk in disguise.

"Yeah," Aimee said in that irritating voice as if she didn't think Emily was all that bright, "can't you tell?"

"I'm new to this school," Emily muttered and Aimee stopped at a door, she gave Emily a quizzical look before opening the door. Emily peeked around the door jamb and saw a comfortable little room with an average sized window where dark green curtains hung. The walls and carpet were green too, Emily had the impression that whoever had decorated the room wanted to give its inhabitant the impression of a forest or the wilderness. Emily stepped tentatively inside, Aimee followed her stepping up to the bed and turning down the quilt. Emily placed her suitcase against the dark wood chest of draws and watched Aimee straightening the quilt.

"You're expected to work for your keep here," Aimee said matter of factly, "we'll discuss your schedule tomorrow."

"I've …" Emily blushed before continuing under Aimee's inquisitive gaze, "I've never actually worked a bar before."

"Most of the guys here haven't," Aimee said kindly with an understanding smile, Emily felt slightly better, as if sensing her uneasiness Aimee sat on the bed and stared at Emily. "What's your name?"

"Emily McLean."

"Uhuh, and why are you here, Emily?" Aimee asked, she nodded to Emily's suitcase, "most of our clientele barely escape their homes with their lives let alone a suitcase of belongings."

Emily laughed. She laughed ridiculously long and hard at how simple the question was yet how far-fetched and absurd the answer would be. What was she doing there? Why had she travelled so far from home? For what? Once she had calmed down Emily wiped her eyes and looked at Aimee.

"I didn't know I was a were-hunter until the first time I transformed," Emily said, still giggling, Aimee's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I err, I have no idea what I'm doing, what I'm supposed to do and how I'm supposed to do it, you know? So I thought …"

"You thought you'd come to New Orleans," Aimee said and shook her head as she stood, "that's kind of crazy if you don't mind my saying so."

"Oh, I know," Emily replied cheerfully, "I sure do know that."

"Okay, well, goodnight Emily McLean."

"Night … Oh, wait," Emily said as Aimee got to the door, "where can I find Jasyn?"

Aimee's eyebrows shot up once more and her face truly was a picture of shock, "Jasyn Kallinos?"

"Err, if that's his name then yeah, but I know him by Jasyn or in most cases feather-butt."

Emily's smile waned when she saw her attempt at humour was lost on the female bear … And she thought New Yorkers were bad!

"He's bedroom is higher up the house," Aimee said and left the room shaking her head. Emily bit her lip, now she really did want to go home. Back to her beautiful New York, where the people were rude and life was fast, she was used to New York. She was so out of her depth here Emily could practically feel herself drowning. She just hoped she wouldn't foul up tomorrow, she needed to learn all she could in the few days she planned to be here, and then she was out of it, back to the big apple.

* * *

Emily crept downstairs early the next morning, she hadn't expected to sleep at all that night but perhaps the heightened tension of the day had taken more energy out of her then she expected. She moved through the house quietly, both hoping and dreading that she would bump into someone. Emily was on the bottom floor and recognised the door she'd gone through last night that led into the house from the bar. She hung by the foot of the stairs nervously biting on the cuff of her pretty white cardigan.

"What should I do? What should I do?" Emily moaned to herself, her stomach tying itself in knots.

"Hi."

Emily spun around so fast she nearly fell; she caught herself on the banister and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw someone she recognised. It was the woman from last night, not Aimee, the other one.

"Hey," Emily said a little raggedly, "err, good morning."

"Come in here, I'm just feeding the baby."

The woman's head disappeared and Emily immediately walked towards the door, in need for a friendly face and conversation. Emily found the woman sitting at the table; she was wearing a pretty white dress and was cooing to the baby in the high chair. Emily sat down at the table awkwardly and the woman laughed.

"I'm Lucille," she said in a friendly way, "I'm Remi's mate."

"I'm Emily McLean, I'm nobody's mate."

Lucille smiled then her eyes narrowed, Emily felt her stomach twist thinking that Lucille may have a reason to hate her Arcadian guts.

"You're not Emily McLean, the wild life woman?"

Emily let out a relieved laugh before nodding, Lucille smiled. "I love discovery channel and wildlife programmes, which is kind of weird since I'm married to a bear. I would never have guessed you were a Were-Hunter, but I suppose it makes sense in a way. I love your show."

"Thank you," Emily said, happiness flushing her body at the praise, she watched Lucille give the baby another spoonful of oatmeal-ish looking muck.

"Lucille, I can't find Manny's diapers," came a deep voice from behind her, Emily looked around to see the big, blond bear from last night. He gave her a slight nod of the head which she returned with a foolish looking little wave as she was too in awe to speak.

"Oh, they are in the bottom draw, I forgot I moved them last night," Lucille said and Emily watched her mate shake his head exasperatedly before moving forward so he could lean around and kiss her. He sat in the seat next to Lucille, facing Emily straight on, he gave her a once over before speaking.

"Who are you?" Emily saw Lucille nudge her mate discreetly with her elbow, he ignored it and continued to scrutinise her.

"Erm, Emily. Emily McLean," she replied timidly.

"The discovery channel chick?" he asked frowning.

"I know," Lucille said to him with an excited smile, she turned to Emily, "were you frightened when you did the Amazon episode?"

"Not really," Emily said truthfully, "I've never really been afraid of heights."

Emily remembered when she'd been hoisted up into a tree on a flimsy material seat, reserved for a person weighing half of what Emily did, by one of the local tribesmen. They even allowed her to take a camera up there so that she could capture a great shot of the sun setting over the Amazon river.

"Well, I suppose it makes all the difference when you can fly," Remi said sarcastically, Lucille nudged him again but Emily laughed, the sarcasm was just the kind that came from Jay and Aaron.

"Are you working on something here?" Remi asked, his belligerency suddenly diminished.

"Well, no actually. I …" Emily opened her mouth to tell them the whole crazy story but for whatever reason she decided not to and gave them a watered down version of it. "I very rarely get to spend time with Were-Hunters, I mean, I have no family and I have to be careful when I'm around humans so I decided to take my vacation here before we start making the second series."

Remi and Lucille both accepted this; Remi questioned her a little more until Lucille told him that it wasn't an inquisition which Emily was dearly grateful for. Anymore questions and she would have had to lie and though she knew how to spot a lie herself she wasn't sure of how to conceal it. She also kept the conversation Jasyn free.

"So Aimee told me last night that I was expected to work for my keep here," Emily ventured uncertainly with Remi; he arched a brow at her.

"Which is fine," she added quickly, "but I've never actually done anything like this before and I was wondering if you could tell me … what the hell am I supposed to do?"

Remi gave her a grin that was too manic looking to be kind, "we'll put you out front with Margie."

"Out front?"

"On the bar, serving drinks. Put you on the day shift, nine in the morning 'til noon."

Emily checked the clock, it was eight thirty, she nodded and began to nibble her lip, "not that I'm complaining but, ah, isn't that kind of short?"

"To be honest we don't really need anymore staff but since your so eager," he gave an evil chuckle and Lucille rolled her eyes at him. "Then after that I'll introduce you to Mama."

"Your mother?" Emily asked and Remi nodded still grinning in a scary, psychotic way, Emily gulped and began to bite at her cuff again. Why was she getting the feeling of forbidding with this place, as if it boded ill for her? Emily heard something creak on the ceiling above her and her thoughts turned to Jasyn, that bastard had left her high and dry yesterday. Southern hospitality her butt! Before she could stop herself Emily cleared her throat and said as casually as she could, "There aren't a lot of Arcadians here, are there?"

Lucille and Remi exchanged looks then Remi said, "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, just some guy last night, I think he was a hawk too. He seemed pretty insane about me being Arcadian."

Emily hoped she'd added just enough casual to her voice for it to look as it were an off the cuff remark. Remi frowned, "you're probably talking about Jasyn. He's the only other hawk here."

"Oh okay," Emily said and said nothing else, looking as if she wasn't bothered.

"He doesn't like Arcadians but then he doesn't like anybody really," Lucille said, "but don't worry, he literally sleeps all day and only works of a night so you'll hardly run into each other."

Emily nodded, thinking of the two Katagaria she had met on the stairs the night before, "I sure hope so."

Lucille smiled kindly, "remember Emily, this is Sanctuary, they may growl but unless they want their asses kicked by a bear they stick to the rules." Lucille gave her mate a glowing look, which he returned. "You're safe from everything but intimidation."

"That's a relief," Emily laughed; she waited a beat before saying, "so why is he here?"

"Who?"

"Jasyn."

Remi's eyes narrowed immediately, "you ask lots of questions."

"Remi!" Lucille reprimanded but he took no notice of her, keeping his eyes fixed on Emily who wanted to hide under the table. Fearing she'd blown it, Emily held up her hands in surrender.

"Hey, I'm just nosy by nature."

"Sure you are," Remi sneered, his eyes dropping a few degrees below zero, "but there have been many assassins who have thought to worm their way into a Limani with the hopes of killing their target. None have ever left Sanctuary alive."

Emily shook her head, "listen pal, I am not a threat to anyone here. The first time I fired a gun I dropped it!"

Such sincerity flowed from her that Remi relented and gave a small grin at the story of her inaptness; Emily didn't question him about Jasyn anymore and stayed quiet.

At nine o clock Emily made her way to the bar area, Remi had taken the baby upstairs for his bath while Lucille showed Emily how to help set up for the day, she then introduced her to Margie. The barmaid was more pleasant then pretty but Emily liked her from the off, especially when she found out that Margie actually knew about the Were-Hunter world. Emily listened with eagerness as Margie talked non-stop while they slowly set up the tables and chairs; it was too early for customers yet so they sat at one of the tables and chatted.

"I'm shocked that you know about us," Emily said, pretending that she actually had any knowledge of Were-Hunters.

"Yeah, ain't it a hoot," Margie cackled, "I always thought there was something about this place that was kinda weird anyway. I mean, _you _wouldn't take any notice but to the average ignorant human as I once was, it's incredible the amount of hotties all got together in this one bar. At first I though y'all were rival gangs and stuff, the way you used to sneer and step up to each other without even meeting each other. But then I found out about the whole Arcadian versus Katagaria, that is some serious beef right there. What are you by the way?"

"Oh," the question took Emily by surprise, "I'm Arcadian."

"Wow," Margie said, staring at her for a moment, "well I knew you had to be a Were. I mean, you're a total babe. What dye do you use?"

"Its natural," Emily laughed.

"Get out of here!" Margie's hand whipped out so she could rub a strand of Emily's hair between her fingers. "That is so cool to be born with that." Margie took Emily's hands and turned them palm up, she squeaked, "and you're not mated!"

"I'm not?" Emily asked. Margie stared at her, "no, I'm not. Of course I'm not."

Emily laughed to cover herself, Margie laughed too.

"You know it's so cool that for once we actually have a female here. I mean, its nice ogling the guys and all but after a while you kind of get testosterone poisoning."

"Do any of the guys treat you different because you're human?" Emily asked and Margie sipped her coffee while she thought.

"Hmm, no I guess. There are some hard core Arcadian haters that refuse to talk to me, I guess they think human and Arcadian are one and the same. I mean, there's this one guy, Jasyn -"

Emily tried to hide her surprise and eagerness and simply nodded her head in what she hoped was an I'm-extremely-interested-in-what-your-saying expression.

"He hates anything human and when he comes down every night for his shift he just sweeps past me like I'm a bar stool or something."

"Bastard!" Emily hissed in earnest, Margie smiled, liking that the girl was taking her side.

"I know, right? I mean, a part of me wants to say like 'who the hell do you think you are?', but there's this look in his eyes that makes me think he is mentally subnormal, if you get me."

Margie gave Emily a knowing tilt of the head and her eyes were all emphasis, Emily smiled and began to wonder more and more about her fellow hawk. Everything she'd heard about him so far, and that wasn't a lot by any means, but none of it was character redeeming.

* * *

Jasyn was dreaming; he had to be. He was in his bird form perched on the back of a bench looking at Emily's side profile; her burgundy hair was blowing ever so gently in the breeze. Jasyn thought he must be by the sea because he could hear it, yet his surroundings suggested he was sitting in the middle of a park. Emily turned to look at him with a slight smile on her face.

"You never told me how we got mated?" she murmured, holding up her hand to show him her palm, marked with the mating symbol, unique to his and her lineages. Jasyn reached out a hand, and as it was with dreams, though he believed himself to first be in his hawk form he was then human.

"I didn't?" Jasyn asked, touching his finger to her palm, she laughed and a pigeon that had been bathing in a birdbath nearby swooped low over him, drenching him in water. Jasyn woke with a squawk and fell from his perch; he barely had time to regain consciousness before he was shot with a sharp spurt of ice cold water that soaked his feathers.

"You bastard!" someone snarled near him, "you feathery bastard!"

Jasyn flashed into human form and rubbed furiously at his eyes, he was naked and soaked but Emily was far too angry at him to take notice of that fact.

"You're lucky I don't clip your wings! How could you leave last night? You wait if I don't get back at you!"

Jasyn rubbed the water away from his eyes and looked up into Emily's furious face; she was standing legs apart and holding a water pistol at him as if it were a glock. He was so shocked that she actually had the balls to spray him with water that he couldn't do much else but gape.

"What are you doing up here?" Jasyn said, realising suddenly that he was naked, yet his shock was absolutely immobilising him. No one … not one person had ever … in his life … done such a thing to him! Treated him with such casual disrespect, had been ballsy enough to take him on like that, to shout at him and call him names in a fearless way as if they didn't expect reprisals.

"Oh, save your modesty!" Emily snarled, "I should have squirted acid at your soon-to-be-thanksgiving-dinner ass!"

Jasyn's face darkened yet Emily wasn't scared, she would have been before the train ride but she felt as if he was all bluster and hot air when it came to threatening her.

"Get out of here!" he ordered fiercely, "you get out of here right now, Arcadian, before I do something you don't like."

"Oh, like leaving me stranded outside a biker bar? Or perhaps trying to kill me? Hey, why don't I just get my list out and recite the many things you've done that I don't like? We wouldn't want you doing something unoriginal now, would we?"

"Cut the sarcasm!" Jasyn hissed at her, Emily held up the water pistol again and took aim, Jasyn roared when she doused him in cold water, his skin breaking out in goose bumps. Jasyn growled and made to grab her but shot out of his reach and run for the door, it opened before she got to it, Jasyn saw Max the dragon, Dev, Remi and Colt all piling in, rearing for a fight. They stopped dead when they saw Emily, their eyes moved to the water gun then to Jasyn's soaking body.

"That'll teach you for being so nasty," Emily snapped and shoved the water pistol at Remi, who caught it at his chest, still watching her with an expression of respect and shock. When Emily had gone downstairs, they all looked back at Jasyn who growled.

"Did she do to you," Dev asked, "what I think she did to you?"

"Get out!" Jasyn snarled, and all except for Max erupted into fits of laughter, Max simply looked confused.

"She shot you with a water gun?" The dragon said with disbelief, "you let her shoot you with a water gun?"

"I didn't let her do anything!" Jasyn barked, "She crept up on me and did it! A filthy Arcadian trick!"

Colt, Remi and Dev who were all Arcadian did not respond to the insult but kept laughing.

"Hey whatever she did, I am so going to congratulate her!" Colt chuckled.

"That's not all you're going to do, I'm betting," Dev jibed, wagging his eyebrows lecherously, Colt laughed and gave a light-hearted shrug. Jasyn saw that there was no denial from the sentinel and in that moment he wanted to rip his throat out more then ever before. He'd never liked Colt because the guy was Arcadian and that was that, and he was a sentinel to boot, but Jasyn felt a furious surge of hatred for the sentinel in that moment. He'd never known jealousy before but it had him flashing clothes on himself and then flashing himself downstairs to the bottom of the house to beat Colt to Emily.


	8. Chapter 8

**(NOTE: Jasyn's story begins just before BMR and will likely end just after the book.)**

Jasyn was at the bottom of the stairs, staring up them waiting for Emily to come into sight, he was seething with fury, his skin so hot he wouldn't be surprised if the air around him became blurred in the waves of heat or plaster and paint hadn't melted from the walls. It wasn't like his everyday anger that he felt with the other inhabitants of the house or with his enemies, this one was on a whole other level. His body geared so when she came down the stairs he would fly at her and …. Jasyn inhaled deeply, trying to unknot the muscles in his bulging neck.

So long had it been since he'd felt the feeling Jasyn couldn't distinguish his intense arousal from rage, except when he looked down at his jeans and saw himself straining against the front of his pants. He could hear her footsteps coming down the stairs from the above and with every light thump that brought her closer to him, heat and anticipation pumped hot through his groin. Jasyn scowled fiercely at the ceiling and drummed his fingers impatiently upon the banister. He could not believe what she'd just done - a water gun of all things!

Jasyn wiped his forehead which was a mixture of sweat and water he'd missed when trying to dry himself off. The way she'd just disregarded him, disregarded his anger - the fact that he was naked!

It was like she was totally unaffected by who he was. Though, the thought suddenly occurred, Emily was in theory human, she had no idea of the magnificence of his reputation in the were-hunter world. She had no real idea of anything. He'd explained to her about the war between Katagaria and Arcadians, he'd explained the importance of mates and of fate. But until she saw it, felt it, truly became a part of it and was affected by it, she would never truly see reason to fear him other then because he was stronger then she. She could not fathom what it was like to have your family slaughtered and your friends betray you to save their own filthy traitorous hides. And perhaps she never would.

Deep inside Jasyn wanted her to experience it, to know the pain purely on a sadistic level; an instant later he was sickened with himself. The pain Jasyn had felt as a young were was something he had always thought he wouldn't even wish on his worse enemy, over time that idea had changed and he'd wished worse on his enemies. But Emily did not need to feel that, for she was one person who could truly be called innocent in this callous bastard game they called life.

Jasyn heard a heavier creak on the floorboards above his head and thought that Colt had gotten to Emily first; Jasyn felt his incisors lengthen and bared them to the stairs. He took them two at a time as he raced to her, planning to cover his need to jealously interrupt their interlude by shouting at her for giving him a shower for an alarm clock. When Jasyn appeared on the second landing he smelt a potent cocktail of fear and anger, something that touched his predatory instincts and made him react the same way a red flag would antagonise a bull. His erection was still there, yet now it seemed to be fuelled by this intense emotion, by the need to aggravate the situation. It had little to do with Emily and was all about the fantastic rush of adrenaline he got when confronted with volatile people and places; it touched the sociopath in him. Jasyn stalked around the banister and froze, Emily was pinned to the wall, and she looked as if she were trying to crawl under the wallpaper to get away from the two tigers that closed her into her corner. His upper lip peeled back off his fangs and he watched as the tiger with the dark hair leaned in and sniffed sharply.

"Look at her cringe back from me, Corin," he said nastily, he brought his face closer as he sniffed her hair again, "I don't think she likes me."

"Arcadian whores like her think they are too good for us," his taller friend said with disgust in his voice. The first dickhead laughed and Emily's white face visibly got paler when he crowded slightly closer.

"I don't!" she said suddenly, her eyes flashing to and fro between them, "I don't think I'm too good for you. I - I don't even know you."

"Yes, you do!" barked dickhead number two, making Emily jump so violently her head hit the wall, "tell me, Arcadian. How many of us have you killed?"

"I haven't k-killed anyone," Emily protested vehemently, her eyes were wide with sincerity and shock. "I wouldn't do something like that."

"It's in your blood," tall dickhead sneered, "fucking humans, with their pitying human hearts -"

He growled ferociously and Emily tried to break through their ranks and make a run for it to the stairs. Jasyn saw what she was about to do before she did it and he suspected that the two tigers saw it too, she didn't even make it two inches from the wall until she was slammed back to it.

"If I were not in a Limani, do you know what I would do to you?" the first one said, his face up close to Emily's, his breath making her hair move. Emily simply stared at him, fear numbing her. "I would take you outside and give you what humans like you deserve!"

"But I'm a were-hunter too," Emily gasped desperately, immediately shutting her mouth when his hand came up close to her face but never touching her.

"You are an Arcadian whore that needs a real animal to show her what she's worth. Show you the same mercy that our mothers and sisters received when your men attacked them!"

Jasyn was shocked when he saw Emily's expression change to one of sympathy and pain, the fear was still there but now she stared into the tiger's eyes as if she wanted to reach out to him.

"I have no family," Emily said quietly, "my mother and father abandoned me and I didn't know I was a were-hunter until lately. It wasn't my men that did that to your women, I wouldn't hold with that kind of thing."

She was so sincere while she said it but neither seemed moved, the taller one slammed his hand flat against the wall a breath away from her head, Emily's spine snapped straight and she shut her eyes as she trembled.

"No, of course you wouldn't," he hissed sarcastically, "you've never hurt anyone in your life, have you, Arcadian?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Emily murmured quietly, her lips pressed so tightly together Jasyn was surprised that she got any sound out of them.

"Liar," the dark haired one breathed, "the day you walk out of here will be the day you sign your own death warrant."

"Why me?" Emily asked, under her fear there was a trace of indignation she tried to suppress.

"Because I see the way you walked in here like you were on fire … expecting us to step aside for you!" Dark hair snarled close to her ear, "I am going to make you beg for mercy …"

He held up his hand in front of her face and closed it slowly until it was a rock hard fist, clenched so tightly the knuckles were white.

They stepped away from her, backed up a few steps then turned and came down the landing towards Jasyn who was concealed still by the shadows of the ascending staircase. When he came into sight they acknowledged him with a nod of respect and made to move past him, he allowed his eyes to remain on Emily who had slid a little down the wall, her body hunched into itself. When they would have moved past him Jasyn shot his hand out and blocked their path with his forearm, he turned his head slowly to look at them.

"Don't go near that woman again," he warned them in his usual monotone, they blinked in surprise.

"We do not fear reprisals from her clan," the taller one said with a curl of his lip, flicking his gaze back to Emily, she hadn't changed position or moved from the wall; evidently she was in a bad state of shock.

"You misunderstand me," Jasyn said, meeting their eyes, "do not - ever! Touch her; speak to her, look at her again."

"You would protect an Arcadian?" the darker one said in disbelief.

"I am warning you!" Jasyn's voice barked at them, not willing to explain himself to them, or the situation with Emily. "If she comes to harm by your hand, either of your hands. I will come for you and I will not be quick about killing you."

The two said nothing and moved by him, obviously unnerved by being warned off killing an Arcadian by Jasyn Kallinos, Jasyn brought his arm down and allowed them to pass, he then turned his face to Emily. He approached at his usual unhurried, deadly pace and stopped before her, she didn't acknowledge him, one solitary tear was drying as it stopped in mid flow on the round top of her cheek. It looked pretty even if it was sad; something about it had Jasyn wanting to take it on to his tongue to taste it, to press his lips on the softness of the skin there. Instead he bent lower so he was at eye level with her and clicked his fingers four times quickly before her eyes, Emily blinked rapidly and her eyes focused on him and he saw recognition there, her lip trembled. Jasyn allowed a sneer to appear on his face, she was so weak …

Suddenly she stood up straight and came away from the wall throwing a slap at his arm and then his face, Jasyn held his arms up on instinct then angrily pushed her back so hard she bounced back to the wall and moaned as it hurt her back. He opened his mouth to say something, even he wasn't sure what but she was back for more.

She was quick, he'd give her that. She got one more slap to his face and punched him in the chest but brought her fist back shaking it with a hiss; evidently she knew shit about fighting.

"You bastard!" she snapped, her eyes blazing even if there were tears there, she looked fit to kill him. Lucky for him she couldn't, because Jasyn had no doubt by the look on her face it would be very, very painful.

"I saw you standing there!" she tried to hit him again but anger made her aim fail and he blocked her, "you just stood and watched! What? Did you get off on it?"

"It's not as if they could have hurt you!" Jasyn snapped back, unable to fathom why she was taking this so badly, as far as he was concerned she'd got off lightly. And he'd warned the assholes off, not that he was about to tell her that. If she thought she had protection she would swan about like she was the shit, flaunting her Arcadian self all over the place and pissing people off and thinking there was nothing they could do about it. Besides he was protector for no Arcadian.

"That's not the point! You stupid, ignorant prick!" she bit out between deep guttural sobs while her eyes streamed with tears. Jasyn resisted the urge to touch his face, his cheek was actually stinging and it felt unfamiliar. It had been a long time since he'd received any type of hurt that was softer then a hit that felt like you were having your face reformed with a wrench. And most of the time he was so gunned up on adrenaline that he didn't feel it until he had annihilated the aggressor out of all existence.

Emily wiped furiously at her tears and pinned him with a glare so furious that he cringed inwardly, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing it.

"What is the point then?" he sneered then mocked her, "little girl all frightened of the big, bad tigers? Grow up!"

He barked so loudly it made her jump, "You are in the were-hunter world now, baby, and you best learn that fact fast. You just got away without a scratch there, woman. Those two that just left? They are the least of your troubles, when the real hard-core Strati pass your way you'll wish you had never been born -" Jasyn gave a mirthless laugh, "or at least died very soon after."

"I haven't done anything to anyone!" Emily snapped back, still not understanding it but hating what she was all the same.

"But you're still Arcadian -"

"Bullshit!" Emily shouted at him, coming away from the wall and facing him off, "bullshit! I'm sick of people excusing their cruelty because I'm Arcadian. I won't be held accountable for everything my race has done, just as I wouldn't expect you to be so for what yours has done."

Jasyn's eyes flared and a silent but acknowledged truth passed between them, somehow Emily knew that Jasyn was the scourge of the Arcadian race. Emily shoved past him and instead of going down the stairs, she went up probably to lock herself in her room and break her heart over the reality she was now in. Jasyn fought violently within himself, a part of him wanted to go to her. He didn't think he could stomach apologising to an Arcadian but he wanted to make peace with her, ask her if he'd hurt her back when he threw her against the wall. He didn't, he flashed himself back to his room.

A door opened on the silent landing, it seemed strange for there to be quiet after such commotion, Nicolette leant elegantly against the door frame with her arms crossed under her breasts, she drummed her fingers lightly against her upper arm, she watched the door open across the way, and Aimee poked her head out.

"Is the coast clear?" Aimee asked, looking pointedly up both ends of the hallway and was giving a lot of what-was-that-all-about on her face.

"Apparently so," Nicolette looked thoughtfully at the ceiling then back at her daughter.

"Are we going to ban her?" Aimee asked, her face screwed up as if she knew she wouldn't like the answer.

"Who?"

"The new girl? She struck Jasyn," Aimee reminded her mother, not that she wanted to see the girl thrown out but rules were rules, and Sanctuary had only lasted so long because of them.

"Only if he acknowledges it," Nicolette said shaking her head.

"You think he will?" Aimee asked apprehensively, feeling sympathy towards Emily, her mother looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head slowly. "Did you hear what she said?"

"She only found out she was a were-hunter of late," Nicolette murmured, still looking thoughtful, Aimee frowned, it was like trying to see through a block of concrete with her mother, Nicolette's face was impassive.

"Dev said she arrived with Jasyn and then he left her at the door," Aimee informed her mother and she saw her mother's mouth tighten and Aimee fought not to smile. Her mother was a lot of things but she had an animal nature of a true bearswan and the human nature of one hell of a feminist. She hated to see young women so abused and alone.

"He should not be her only example of our race," Nicolette sneered lightly, she pierced Aimee with a gimlet stare, "be a friend to her, Aimee."

"I will, maman," Aimee said then noticed her mother's face, "maman?"

"Hmm?"

"Your mouth is very red, almost like -"

Aimee cringed when Aubert Peltier appeared behind her mother, it looked like they were making time in one of the spare rooms, Aimee quickly withdrew to her room, where she was secretly making time with Fang.

"Quite an argument," Aubert commented, kissing Nicolette lightly on the nape of her neck, Nicolette tilted her head giving him better access to her neck and Aubert took advantage.

"Yes, it was," she responded in a murmur, "reminds me of us when we were younger."

"But the making up is better," Aubert said, pulling Nicolette back by her waist and closing the door, there was a growl and a laugh from behind the wood.

* * *

Aimee balanced a tray in one hand and tapped on Emily's door with the other, there was no sound from within so Aimee took a chance and opened the door. It swung inwards to reveal Emily sitting on her bed staring at her suitcase at the end of the bed; it looked as if she were taking a break from packing. Emily looked up and gave Aimee a wan smile; she came in and deposited the tray of food on the chest of drawers.

"Going so soon?" Aimee asked, nodding to the case, Emily looked at it also and rubbed her shoulder, it had been aching since her run in with Jasyn.

"I'm debating with myself whether or not I should."

"Hmm," Aimee watched as Emily frowned then picked up a pair of pants and began to rub at a mark on them, "you have a lot of clothes."

"I'm a bit of a shopaholic," Emily confessed proudly, she folded the pants neatly and placed them in her case, "I guess that's why I'm such a city bird -" Emily laughed and looked up at Aimee, "no pun intended. But when I'm away on location I have to wear shit kickers and khaki." Emily shuddered as if those thoughts were offensive to her. "_So _not my style. So when I get to good ole New York I can wear my dresses and heels and Gucci and Armani and Jimmy Choos … and you don't look like you have any idea what I'm talking about."

Emily rolled her eyes at herself and felt terribly lonely; Aaron and Jay would have known to appreciate the name of Gucci and Jimmy Choo. Aimee laughed and perched on next to her on the bed.

"Can you honestly see me wearing this stuff in a biker bar?" Aimee asked and Emily gave her a grudging smile.

"I suppose it would spoil them," she sighed and threw another item at her case rather then in it.

"So I heard you had a little bit of a run in with the tigers on the stairs this afternoon, then a scuffle with Jasyn?"

Emily shrugged hoping to look casual but instead looking dejected, "Nope, nothing happened. We all just had a good, long heart to heart and I now whole heartedly wish all three of those charming men a torturous life resulting in a death of unrivalled agony."

Aimee cackled and shoved Emily's shoulder playfully, Emily gave her a reluctant smile, she sighed.

"You know, in my old life I always thought I was tough. Not like I'm-the-baddest-bitch-on-cell-block-eight or anything!" Emily added quickly and Aimee chuckled at her. "But, you know, tough enough for the streets that I lived on. But this -" Emily looked around the room with innocently lost eyes, "this is nothing I could ever imagine. I mean, I always gave people a solid, 24 carat gold reason to detest me before. Now all people have to do is sniff me and they think I'm lower then dog shit."

Aimee made a sympathetic noise and it spurred Emily's need to vent.

"I'm tough enough for the human world, Aimee, but I don't know about this one. I really don't. Like today, I knew those guys couldn't hurt whilst I was in this place … but I'd never actually felt someone's hatred for me just ooze from their skin, you know? That's why I think I freaked out so badly at that bastard!"

Emily's face grew dark as she thought about Jasyn, first chance she got, she was going to kill him - then resuscitate him and kill him again.

"You keep going on about new world and old world," Aimee said, "how can you not know that you were a Were?"

"I was brought up in orphanages and foster homes, now I realise I should have been in the local bird sanctuary."

"You're funny," Aimee commented as she chuckled, Emily smiled ruefully.

"I think that was due to my being dropped on my head as a child."

"You know, it's not as uncommon as you may think. Were's ending up in the human world, or at least with no where to go once there parents have died or abandoned them."

"Really?"

"Nope. If their lucky they get dropped off here or they find their way to a Limani, but on the whole if your parents are killed in the war or they choose to abandon you, you're screwed."

"Who would abandon their children?" Emily asked horrified.

"That's not uncommon either," Aimee said seriously, "we had a guy brought here when he was just out of puberty. He was a Tigard named Wren -"

"Tigard?"

"He was half tiger half leopard," Aimee said simply and Emily's professional side almost OD'd on information.

"Oh my God," Emily exclaimed, "you can cross breed the species of Were?"

"Yes."

"Holy shit!" Emily laughed then noticing Aimee face, checked her excitement, "please continue."

"Well, his mother tried to kill him when he was born. He is Katagaria, as were his parents, but they thought of him as defected because he was neither tiger nor leopard but a hybrid mix of both. The animal in them sensed the defect and reacted to it the way animals do."

"Bullshit!" Emily said and Aimee raised her brow, "I've got a PhD. in Zoology and a Masters in animal psychology, I've spent my whole life studying animals and being around them. They kill their young for food, physical access to food, more nest space … err, a disturbance in their environment perhaps. Even to bias the gender ratio of a litter or so they don't have to care for another female's young, but I've never heard of an animal killing their young because they dislike it, I mean come on!"

Aimee raised her hand and knocked sharply on Emily's forehead with her knuckles, "ow!"

"You're still thinking in human terms, Emily," Aimee said kindly, "these aren't just animals in the wild. These aren't lions running wild on the savannah, or bears in the forest. These are animals with the complexity of human emotion and cognitive thought."

Emily's eyes widened in awe and Aimee nodded "think about it a human's ability to logically decipher problems, to think and feel but coupled with the primal instincts of an animal. Pretty explosive is what I would call it."

"Pretty fucked up too," Emily whispered, she looked at Aimee with renewed determination, "I need to know everything about being a Were before I go back to New York. Jasyn said he would help me but … we don't get on," she said stiffly.

"Jasyn said he would help you?" Aimee said incredulous.

"It's a long story …" Emily said with an air that said she refused to explain the details.

"A long story of blackmail?" Aimee asked light heartedly.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

Outside her window Jasyn perched on the ledge and listened to Emily's voice as she spoke to Aimee, it still held a stuffy note to it that usually came with tears. Before the young bearswan had come in Jasyn was going to tap on the window and try in some way to make amends. He'd watched her have a furious tantrum in her room and throw her clothes around, perverse as it was it had made him hot, then she'd simmered down and paced the length of the room, driving him crazy as he ogled her hips and ass in her jeans. Then she sat quietly on the edge of the bed and that was when he'd felt her heart wrench in his chest, she looked so … alone. Jasyn kept forgetting that Emily had never known about his world before, that until now he was her only hope, her only guide in this whole crazy place. She needed him, even if she thought she didn't. And the honourable thing to do would be to help her in every way he could, but she was still Arcadian and he still couldn't help that malicious part of him that wished to abandon her to her own fate. It was wrong he knew, like Emily had said, she could not be held accountable for what her race had done, her least of all since she'd had no idea about what she was. He didn't want a dependant that would hold him back, whom he would have to help and reassure, he didn't have the patience or the kindness for it. Again it was wrong but he was a creature of the world's making, he'd been wounded, hurt and betrayed so many times he felt he had scars upon scars. Jasyn watched Aimee get up from the bed, she gave Emily a hug and left the room, Emily crawled up the bed and laid her head on the pillow, her eyes fluttering down. She looked serene and beautiful, she looked like she was calling to him to come to her, to warm her with his body as she shivered and to watch over her as her protector so nothing in the dark could harm her. Jasyn sighed inwardly, an old longing, an unfamiliar dream of family and love came back to him like a breeze whistling back to the mainland after it had travelled across the vast oceans. Jasyn took off into the night with a screech, sealing his heart in a box of ice before it could become too warm. Emily's eyes pooped open and she looked to the window, there was nothing there, but the call of the hawk echoed in her ears and she bit her tongue to stop herself muttering his name.


	9. Chapter 9

Emily left her room the next morning and travelled towards the bar for the start of her shift, she poked her head into the kitchen to say hello to Lucille then proceeded to the bar area. Margie was there something Emily was glad of; the woman would give her some sympathy that she desperately needed.

"Hey girl," Margie said cheerfully, "you okay?"

"I don't know, Margie," Emily muttered and explained to her in whispers everything that had transpired between the two tigers and herself yesterday.

"Oh my stars!" Margie gasped, her hand over her heart in shock, "you poor thing! You know you should tell Mama Lo, she wouldn't stand for it."

"No, I don't think I will," Emily said decisively, "I've got to learn to stand on my own two feet, I mean, if I don't learn how to protect myself no ones going to do it for me."

"You know, they'll respect you more for that."

Emily and Margie looked over their shoulders to see who'd spoken. It was a tall, handsome, Native American man with sleek ebony hair that fell over his shoulders like liquid ink. His words which were softly spoken blending well with his calming demeanour, for the first time since she'd came into the Sanctuary Emily felt that should she touch someone without express invitation from them she might live through it … with her hand intact. He nodded calmly to Margie, his eyes lingered on Emily then he walked back into the Peltier house carrying a bottle of vodka.

"You need me, boss?" Margie called to him, he looked over his shoulder and shook his head but his eyes were fixed on Emily, then he disappeared behind the door.

"Who is that?" Emily asked.

"Carson Whitethunder," Margie explained, "he's the house doc and vet. He's a nice guy, but quiet too, and thoughtful. He likes to spend time on his own just thinking things through. He's a real gentleman."

It came out _genel'man _and Margie gave Emily a happy look, as if to say I know because I'm his friend.

"He's a hawk," Emily said in awe, after being a Sanctuary for a few hours she'd become adept at recognising individual people and animals by their scent alone. Margie cleared her throat and Emily looked back at her.

"Is he always so …?" Emily tried to find the words for his serene, mystic and wise persona; the man seemed to ooze wisdom and knowledge that went beyond the workings of the human and animal anatomy or medicine.

"Yeah, he is," Margie sighed, her eyes were downcast and she swirled the liquid in her glass in a wistful way.

"You have feelings for him," Emily stated and Margie snapped her head up and looked at Emily with serious eyes.

"No, of course not!" Margie snapped, "why would you say such a thing?"

"Margie," Emily said calmly, "I can sense it."

Margie's shoulders sagged like she had been deflated and she shrugged, "I've been good at hiding it. It doesn't do much good dwelling on it."

"Why?"

"Because I don't exist in his eyes other then as his assistant," Margie murmured and sipped her drink; she looked up with falsely cheerful eyes. "Oh well, not as if I'm the first woman to want something she can't have, right/"

"No, you ain't," Emily grumbled, finding herself thinking about Jasyn and loathing herself for it, "I know how you feel, Margie."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Not a soul," Emily assured her sincerely, "besides who would listen to me? Half the people in here would kill me as soon as look at me … For what it's worth Margie, if I was a guy I would love you."

Margie laughed lightly, as if she felt better after their little heart to heart, she kissed Emily on the cheek in an elder sisterly kind of fashion, "oh, you are precious!"

Emily smirked and watched Margie return to the other end of the bar to refill someone's glass, suddenly she froze. Her senses detected the scent of tiger and Emily wanted to groan, she turned and saw the two tigers coming out of the door that led into the Peltier house. They met her eyes and held, they said nothing as they made their way to the opening in the bar, Emily turned with them, never giving them her back.

"How much did you put out to have a Katagaria protect you?" the taller tiger spat at her and Emily blinked.

"Corin!" The other tiger reprimanded with a vicious snarl.

"I don't have a protector," Emily said stupidly before becoming indignant, "and I don't put out thank you very much!"

"You must be good for him to guard you so," Corin sneered at her, "though I would be dead before I touched an Arcadian."

"Who are you talking about?" Emily asked, thinking of Carson, perhaps he had ….

"Maybe hawks stick together! No matter what they are -"

"Or maybe they just don't like pricks like you!"

The two tigers jumped and turned around at a deadly voice from behind them and Emily's jaw dropped. Jasyn!

She hadn't even seen his approach and the two tigers, which were no doubt more adept in their powers, hadn't even smelt him. Both of them went white and Jasyn sneered at them.

"We haven't touched her!" the smaller one said earnestly and the other nodded stupidly next to him. Jasyn looked past them to Emily and surveyed her before demanding, "are you alright?"

Emily nodded and stared at him with shocked and curious eyes.

"I suggest you get out of my sight," Jasyn said calmly to the tigers and they practically ran for the door. Jasyn didn't even glance at her as he moved to come behind the bar; he only looked up when someone said his name. Dev was coming up from the kitchen holding a case of beer; he looked like he might drop them.

"What?" Jasyn asked belligerently.

"Nothing," Dev said, recovering himself quickly, "it's just that … you're in human form - and it's not even your shift."

"I needed air," Jasyn said and moved past Dev towards the door to the Peltier house, he snagged a beer as he left.

"That is one freaky fucking individual," Dev said partly to himself and partly to Emily.

"Yeah," Emily whispered, shocked that Jasyn had warned the tigers off of her, "are you afraid of him?" She asked Dev suddenly, Dev looked at her thoughtfully.

"Why would you ask that?" he asked curiously, shifting the case of beer to his hip and giving her some serious eyeballing.

"Well, lots of people seem to talk about him in a respectful way."

"And you equate respect with fear?"

"In the places that I grew up they went hand in hand," Emily said and Dev sensed an old soul hiding in her body.

"Is that so?" he said gently, "well, as to your question, no I'm not afraid of him. But I have a healthy respect for his abilities as a fighter and a fellow killer."

"You're a killer?" Emily said, unable to keep the cynicism from her voice, Dev laughed heartily.

"All animals are killers," Dev explained and Emily kept her mouth firmly shut even though it was on the tip of her tongue to state that he was Arcadian, but from what she'd gleaned by being in this place was that it was a well kept secret. "Jasyn is a mystery to us all. Complicated and deadly. All we know of him is what the rumours say."

"You talk of him like he is some type of ghost," Emily laughed and Dev gave her a strange look.

"For many years people believed him to be. He'd disappear for years on end and come back with more scars and more bounty on his head. He is legend."

"Has anyone asked him if the rumours are true?"

"Why don't you?" Dev scoffed, Emily could see what he meant. Jasyn looked likely of ripping the arms off of the person that looked at him wrong let alone asked him deep, personal questions.

"I might just do that," Emily said to herself, forgetting that Dev could hear better then most humans.

"Then you're a lot braver then we all give you credit for," he said casually.

* * *

Emily finished her shift and headed towards the top of the house, she inhaled deeply as she came to the top of every flight of stairs, following Jasyn's scent. She found his door on the hallway just below the attic, it was shorter then the rest of the hallways on the lower levels and darker too. Emily moved towards the door, she rubbed her palm a few times over her hip before taking a deep breath and taping on the door. There was no noise or voice that told her to enter so Emily just gathered her courage and opened the door. The room was sparsely furnished and empty of occupants, Emily was about to step over the threshold when she felt a strong grip capture her arms from behind and whip her around.

"Jasyn!" she gasped, and gave a little scream when she felt her feet leave the floor, he planted Emily in his room and closed the door behind him as he advanced.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice laced with something beastly. He was naked from the waist up and on his bottom half he wore black slacks. It was the first time Emily was in a position to appreciate his body, the other times heightened emotions had blinded her to his masculine beauty.

"I, err …" Emily pretended there was something in her eyes and rubbed at them to give herself thinking time, and to stop herself staring at his hairless chest and abs, his broad, strong shoulders and rock hard pecs.

"What?"

"I wanted to say thank you," Emily blurted out. _Had she?_

"For what?" Jasyn said nonchalantly and moved past her, bumping her sore shoulder as he did so, Emily winced and Jasyn saw her.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately, turning to look at her, Emily chose selective deafness and answered his first question.

"I wanted to thank you for warning those guys off," Emily said and blushed with shame, "and I want to apologise for hitting at you. It wasn't right and I shouldn't have expected you to get involved in something that had nothing to do with you."

Well, didn't that just make him feel like a shit?

Jasyn frowned at her and she blushed harder, she fidgeted with the ends of her hair, "well, sorry," she said lamely and Jasyn tried not to soften towards her, but he couldn't help it. Not that she had to know of course, but he realised he affected more anger then he actually felt when she was around, if anything she soothed him.

"Great. Fine, whatever," Jasyn said with effected indifference, "so what's up with your shoulder?"

"Nothing," she protested sincerely and Jasyn smelt her lie, relishing what he was about to do he approached her swiftly and backed her into a wall. He saw her eyes flick from his lips to his eyes then back to his lips again, her own parted. Jasyn pressed himself closer to her until she had no breathing space, no private space, until she was all he could feel, see and smell. He raised one hand to move her hair from her eyes and he saw her lid flutter, he smirked and watched them pop back open when he ripped her shirt from her shoulder.

"Ow!" she cried and then gasped in horror, "my shirt! My shirt! What have you done?"

"How did you do this?" Jasyn hissed when he saw a mild bruising on her shoulder blade as he turned her, if it was just healing now it must have been a bad one last night.

"My shirt!"

"I'll fix it," Jasyn growled at her and she glared at him, making him hotter then hell, "how did you do this?"

"I know I just apologised but you deserve this!" Emily shouted and with a closed fist, thumped his chest, her fist literally bounced off of his pecs. Jasyn gave an evil chuckle when she frowned at him.

"If you listen hard you'll hear it echo," he said nastily and Emily frowned harder.

"What are you talking about?"

"Hollow." Jasyn thumped his own chest making a bigger impact then she had, Emily was silent and Jasyn gestured to her shoulder again.

"You were a little rough," Emily said quietly, gazing at his chest.

"What?" Jasyn snapped, more out of disbelief then anger.

"It doesn't hurt that much," Emily said casually and lifted her hand to touch his chest where he'd hit himself, at the stroke of her hot fingers against his cool flesh Jasyn felt goosebumps break out. But he could not enjoy the sensations when he thought of how he'd thrown her back at the wall yesterday. For the first time in many centuries Jasyn felt shame consume him.

"I'm sorry," he said stiffly and Emily closed her eyes and shivered.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused by her.

"Savouring an apology from you. They're like Halley's comet, extremely rare."

"It's not funny," Jasyn reprimanded her and she shrugged indifferently, he looked down when he felt her fingers brush his forearm, she was tracing his scars.

"You have more of these then you do friends," Emily said flippantly, Jasyn withdrew his arm from her.

"That's true," he said tonelessly and she raised her eyes to his.

"I was just joking."

"I'm not," Jasyn responded coldly, "it's the truth. Were-hunters very seldom have friends."

Jasyn felt pleasurable warmth flow up his arm when Emily took his arm back into her possession; she stroked her finger over his scars again. Jasyn leaned in slightly over her down turned head and inhaled, her scent was so soothing to his senses, he'd have given a lot to be the type of man that could bury his face in her hair. But he wasn't he reminded himself, as he steeled himself against the loss of warmth, Jasyn withdrew his arm. With his powers he fixed her shirt and stepped away from her.

"You should get a check up from Carson," he said briskly, not looking at her, "you're a were-hunter, we heal fast. If that's not healing it may be more then a bruise. He may be able to do something, give you something for the pain at least."

Pain that he'd given her … Jasyn loathed himself in that moment, more so because a small, traitorous part of him wanted to be human. Just so he could go nearer to her again and dip his head and place his lips upon hers and know that it wasn't wrong or forbidden.

"Okay," Emily muttered distractedly and made to step towards him, Jasyn backed up swiftly not wanting to test his will power.

"No, Emily," he said firmly, the use of her name on his lips seemed to shock her back into reality.

"You didn't care before," she said and hated herself because she felt like she was begging him.

"Never again."

Jasyn said it firmly and he meant it, but he didn't know if he could keep the promise to himself, a part of him actually liked her; the rest of him was so powerfully attracted to her he felt like he wanted to rub up against her every time he saw her. Emily nodded and stepped back, her cheeks flushing a bright scarlet, Jasyn felt even guiltier.

"Emily, it's just wrong, okay," Jasyn tried his best to explain, "Katagaria and Arcadians aren't meant to be together. It wouldn't work."

"Fine," Emily said as if she didn't care, Jasyn wondered whether it was real or faked. "But remember our deal, Jasyn."

Jasyn tried not to savour hearing her say his name and concentrate on her words. Ah, yes the deal. He'd forgotten.

"You get the tape when you show me how to survive in the were-hunter world. I think judging by my shoulder that I need a few pointers."

Jasyn felt his head snap back on his neck as if he'd been hit, his guilt stung his insides and he wanted to growl at her for making him feel it. Especially over an Arcadian.

"I apologised for it, didn't I?" he snarled at her and she rolled her eyes at him, being as dismissive of him as she always was.

"I was being sarcastic," she said exasperatedly.

"You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, right?" Jasyn pointed out and Emily shrugged with a half smile.

"It's the funniest though."

Jasyn waited until she'd left his room before allowing the smile to form on his mouth, he supposed she was right about that. Jasyn rubbed his palm over his chest and brought it to his nose smelling her scent where she had been pressed tightly against him; he groaned and felt tortured for wanting something he knew wasn't just wrong but a complete violation of everything he stood for. After all he'd done in his life; he could not allow his feeling for this one woman to change him. Even if he did, once she knew his reputation for being ruthless and cruel and … and a killer, she'd hate him forever.

* * *

Carson looked up from his notes when he heard a tap on the door; he smiled pleasantly though his heart picked up a beat.

"Hello," he greeted her, the one with the red hair.

"Hey," she said a little awkwardly, "I was told to come and see you, erm, to take a look at my shoulder."

"What's wrong with it?" Carson asked, getting up quickly, pretending to act like the good doctor even though his palms grew damp at the thought of touching her, another hawk. "Here, have a seat."

Emily came in to the bright, clinical room and wrinkled her nose as the disinfectant overwhelmed her senses. She hoisted herself up on the bed he had stretched out by the wall; he approached, looming over her with that friendly, doctor smile.

"What's with your shoulder?"

"I hurt it the other day and was told that I should get it checked because it hasn't healed completely by now."

"Which shoulder?"

Emily tapped her right and Carson nodded. "May I take a look?"

"Sure."

Emily whipped the buttons from their holes and shrugged out of her shirt while Carson snapped on a pair of latex gloves. Emily didn't miss the flaring in Carson's eyes and after Jasyn's swift denial of her it made her feel good. If she were the type of woman, she would have preened under his covetous gaze, but Emily knew it would be wrong. Emily angled herself so her shoulder and the bruise could be seen; she felt Carson's cool, clinical fingers touch the tender area.

"You did this yourself?" Carson asked as though he highly doubted it.

"Yes," Emily affirmed, Carson raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"How?"

"I bounced off of someone into a wall," Emily said with a sly smirk and Carson shook his head seriously.

"Whoever did this could be thrown out of Sanctuary for this," he told her, feeling the area under and over the bruise.

"It was an accident," she informed him firmly, wanting there to be no doubt; she really didn't to get Jasyn in any kind of trouble.

"Well, whoever told you to come to me was right enough, as a were-hunter you should have healed completely by now."

Emily nodded and when he gestured to her to follow him, she did so to a room for an x-ray. When it was done Carson let her put her shirt on while he went for the x-rays, he held them up to the light to see, Emily looked over his shoulder.

"Bruising to the bone," she said nonchalantly, she'd thought as much, Carson looked around at her in surprise and she smiled. "I've worked with a lot of veterinarians in my time; I can read x-rays pretty well."

"Damn," he said smoothly, appreciation lacing his voice.

"You're Katagaria?" Emily asked curiously and Carson nodded slowly.

"Why?"

"Well, you've been very nice to me," Emily shrugged carelessly, "or perhaps that all part of the doctor patient privilege, you have to be nice, right?"

"Nope," Carson said, taking off his gloves, "good thing about working with were-hunters is that most of them are ornery bastards, I'm not obliged to be the kind and patient doctor."

Emily gave a small chuckle and Carson felt the need to keep talking since there was really nothing he could do for her and therefore no reason to keep her there.

"How come you're here?" Emily asked, leaning her hip against the bed and Carson didn't answer for a minute, making a fuss about shifting some papers into a drawer. Emily recognised it as a major evasive technique; Edward had used it on her all the time.

"I asked Mama and Papa to let me set up a surgery here and they did," he said simply.

"And that's it?" Emily asked with a disbelieving laugh, Carson raised an eyebrow at her and she could tell he was a little bit annoyed at her reaction.

"Did you expect there to be more?"

"Well, yeah," Emily said bluntly, drawing a smile from his impassive face, "so if you're here by choice where are your parents? Your family?"

"You're very nosy, you know?"

"Inquisitive," Emily corrected and she saw his lips twitch.

"There's a difference?"

"Of course," Emily said lightly, "I'll explain it another time."

Carson quirked his lips up in a serene half smile and gave a little shrug, "they're around."

Emily was feeling some major change-the-subject vibes coming from Carson and nodded, ready to take her leave.

"Well, I'll be seeing you around," Emily said, standing straight, Carson turned quickly with a frown.

"You're leaving already?"

"Yes, she is."

Emily looked over her shoulder and Carson looked past her to see Jasyn standing there, damn, the man moved like the wind, utterly silent and unseen. Emily scowled and scoffed at him.

"I'll go when I want to," she snapped, but realised that Jasyn wasn't listening to her, he was looking past her at Carson. Emily saw something unsaid going between the two male hawks and knew she would never be privy to it so with a disgusted noise she shoved past Jasyn when he didn't move for her and headed to her room.

Jasyn waited until she was out of earshot before he spoke.

"Keep your distance, boy," Jasyn warned in a deadly voice, "she isn't for you."

"Is she yours then?" Carson retorted sarcastically, both fearing and relishing the tightening of Jasyn's jaw.

"I'll only tell you once," Jasyn said quietly, "keep. Your. Distance."

"And what if she doesn't want me to?" Carson taunted, Jasyn's lips twisted, Carson guessed it was meant to be a smile, and made a vow to himself that he would not pursue Emily at any cost, especially if it meant he wouldn't end up tangling with the likes of Jasyn.

"I'll keep away," Carson assured him nonchalantly though he was worried in case the psychotic bird took a swing at him, "but I'd get a move on if I were you. You're not the only hawk in this place and not everyone will back off when they see she hasn't been marked."

Jasyn sneered at him but realised that the young one was right, others may have designs on Emily and as far as he was concerned they could have her, she wasn't his property or responsibility. He wasn't going to go near her in that way, he didn't want her in that way.

Jasyn knocked on Emily's door damning himself as he did so, she opened it and gave him that typical sarcastic look of hers, making him want to go at her like a train.

"Do you know how to fly?" he blurted out and Emily blinked.

"I broke my ankle the first time I tried," she said shrugging and Jasyn tutted, she scowled at him.

"Well, excuse me, Tweety Pie, some of us weren't born with wings!"

"Neither was I," Jasyn snapped back, "I was hatched."

"Well, wasn't that just a fine day?"

"The finest," he retorted quickly and watched as her lips reluctantly turned up in a grin, "be ready. Tomorrow."

Jasyn was about to turn and leave, feeling satisfied that he'd had the last word.

"But -"

Jasyn glanced over his shoulder at her, he raised an eyebrow.

"I can't transform in the day time," she said blushing, Jasyn felt his heart turn far too tender for his peace of mind.

"We can work on that," he said and nodded to her, leaving for his own room, he knew that she was still watching him as he left and liked the feeling of her eyes on hi a lot more then he should.


	10. Chapter 10

Jasyn watched Emily as she swished her body through the collection of tables around the dance floor, on her hip she carried a tray with empty glasses and in her other hand she clutched another four glasses. She'd adapted well to the job, picking up the habits and techniques that the everyday bar staff had to make them more efficient at their work. Jasyn felt his skin heat up in anticipation and felt irritated at himself, especially when she came around the bar and his heart began to pound, knowing that she would soon draw near to him and have to move past him. Jasyn held his breath in expectation, just as Emily drew near her eyes came up and they locked on his, the intensity of the others stare sent shivers down both their spines. Jasyn opened his mouth to speak to her, to ask her to draw closer to him when Aimee appeared from behind him. Jasyn hissed at her, hating that he was caught so off guard. The bearswan frowned darkly at him and exchanged a look with Emily who was watching with a raised brow, Jasyn glanced around and saw some of Aimee's brothers had stopped their work to throw murderous looks at him.

"You okay, Aimee?" Dev said his eyes fixed on Jasyn who couldn't care less, Aimee nodded and moved around Jasyn.

"I'm fine, I made him jump, is all," Aimee lied smoothly and Dev, not believing it in the least, inclined his head and backed away still looking ready to fight. Aimee threw one last reprimanding glare over her shoulder to Jasyn, who glared at her coldly, then she turned to Emily.

"You've decided to stay then?" she asked, leaning up against the bar, Emily gave a shrug.

"For now, I guess."

"Good because we have something extra special coming up that I'd hate for you to miss."

"And that would be?"

"Halloween, of course."

Emily looked over her shoulder when she heard Jasyn's dry, toneless voice, she gave him an incredulous look before turning back to Aimee.

"You guys don't really celebrate that, do you?" she said, keeping the distaste in her voice to a minimum.

"Of course we do!" Dev had come back and was leaning over the bar on his elbows with a stupid grin on his face, the mischievous twinkle in his eye made Emily suspicious of whether they were playing some kind of practical joke.

"Halloween is like the holy day for were-hunters around the world," he continued and Emily was sure he was joking.

"Oh, come on," She said and Aimee laughed.

"You don't believe us?"

"Well, it just seems in pretty bad taste for you all to have Halloween as your holy day," Emily said shaking her head, "I mean, is it really appropriate to hold a ceremonial day when you've got demons and goblins knocking on your door?"

"Honey, we have that everyday of the year," Dev scoffed light heartedly, "Halloween is the only day the real demons don't come aknockin'. Like you, they think it's crass."

"I should have been a demon," Emily muttered and laughed at Dev's over exaggerated gasp of pain.

"Wash your mouth out young lady! If you think being a Were is bad, you should get a load of the Gallu. See the freaks that come out of their Pride."

Emily laughed and shook her head, "seriously guys," she said looking at Jasyn, "do you really celebrate it?"

Dev just laughed and walked off, Aimee gave her a wide smile and left her with Jasyn, she looked at him for an explanation.

"Well?"

Jasyn pretended to sigh as if the whole conversation irritated him, in actual fact he was pleased that Emily was having fun. Though he didn't want to admit he felt slight tingles of jealousy at the way she laughed so easily with Dev.

"What do you think?" He asked drolly and watched her shrug her pretty shoulders.

"I think it's a crock," she said definitely, "I mean, from what you told me Were-Hunters pre-date the origins of Halloween, so it's highly unlikely that they would choose that night to celebrate."

"I like your powers of deduction," Jasyn said tonelessly and got a thrill when she laughed.

"Thanking you kindly."

"Though they do throw a bash in here for it," Jasyn informed her, eyeing the crowd before him with disdain, "Humans go crazy for the whole supernatural shit, Artemis knows why."

"Oh, lighten up and take your beak out of your butt," Emily scoffed at him, laughing when she saw his eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, "it's a night of fun and frivolity. Get it … f-u-n … Fer-Unn! You know, where no one bothers to take themselves too seriously."

Jasyn unfolded himself from his regimental stance at the wall and walked towards her, staring down at her from his great height. He didn't touch her, just listened with relish as her heart beat picked up ever so slightly at his presence, echoing the quickening thump of his own.

"Oh, I know how to have fun, _Sartas_," Jasyn rumbled low in her ear, "I just don't over dress for it."

Emily caught the innuendo and it made her breasts feel warm, she wanted to step nearer to him and lay her hands somewhere, anywhere. Perhaps to his throat to see if his pulse was exploding in his neck as hers was, but his warning from the other night cooled her down and Emily broke their connection by pulling her eyes from his. To his chagrin she deliberately moved away from him and picked up her tray again, with satisfaction Emily saw Jasyn's eyes cloud with uncertainty, apparently he didn't like being brushed off. Emily sauntered towards the kitchen; she threw him an alluring but devilish look over her shoulder.

"Your loss," she said lightly and moved out of sight, leaving Jasyn feeling sizably cooled and irritated.

* * *

"Try again!" Jasyn demanded angrily, watching Emily's face flush scarlet as she picked herself up from the floor again. Emily got up rather awkwardly, trying to stutter out a retort through her indignation. When Jasyn had come up to her that morning and told her that their first lesson was going to be in the evening, Emily had been thrilled. One hour into it and she was sick of being shouted out and bossed around by him, so sick she was considering telling him to stick his lessons where the sun doesn't shine.

"I told you!" she snapped once she had finally regained some height and didn't feel at such a disadvantage as shouting back at him when she was on her ass would have. "I can't transform during the day, the last time I tried I could barely hold it for more then ten minutes - and it made me feel nauseous!"

Jasyn's eyes flashed with anger, he didn't reveal that his respect for her was mounting by the minute as he watched her struggle under his teaching. For someone of her youth and inexperience to be able to transform during the day time at all was a phenomenal feat, let alone for ten minutes. Jasyn wanted to question her on how she had been able to do such a thing with aid or instruction, but he's stubborn pride would not allow him to show her his admiration, which was something he was a little aggrieved about.

"Do you know what happens to young were-hunters that can't control their powers?" Jasyn barked at her, she looked petulant as she shrugged with her arms folded angrily across her chest. "They become cannon fodder the bigger and the badder and the more powerful!"

"Like you, you mean?" Emily said half sarcastic, half contemptuous and Jasyn moved towards her and got up in her face, Emily was too exhausted to retreat.

"You're damn right!" he sneered his voice, like his body, was hyped and pumping with intensity and rage. The tone rising with every sentence to drill the point home to her. "Because in this world there is no discrimination between sexes or ages. No matter who you are, what you are, from what clan or tribe you hail - If you can't fight and if you can't win … if you can't be the baddest bitch out there that makes everyone think twice about stepping up to you and giving you shit, then you die!"

"You become what you fear," Emily cried back, getting up in his face on her tiptoes, "you make sure that when someone looks at you they know that if they disrespect you, you are coming after them with the mother-fucking legions of hell to trample over their punk asses! That whether you have to wait a week, a month or a year, you'll come back and do your worst to let every sorry, take-a-chance, sonofabitch know that you won't ever back down!"

Emily dropped back on her heels breathing hard, Jasyn raised a perfect WTF eyebrow and Emily laughed in his face.

"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly, "your speech was so inspiring that it fired up some repressed emotions."

She laughed and backed away from him, Jasyn let out a loud sigh that concealed beneath it his amused chuckle.

"For a moment there I thought you were squaring up to me," he murmured carelessly, Emily threw him a droll look over her shoulder.

"I'm not _that _brave."

"I'm quite certain that you are," Jasyn replied without thinking and bite his lip as he said it, not looking up to see Emily throw him a beaming smile.

"Nah," she said a little modestly, "I just heard that speech before."

She said fiddling with a twig she'd found on the floor, she stared up at the sky and inhaled. She seen many places but the bayou was something altogether magical for Emily. Perhaps it was the Were capital of the world as Jasyn had called it, maybe it was because she was there with Jasyn. Either way New Orleans would indeed hold a special place in her heart long after she was gone from it.

"Where?" Jasyn scoffed but was genuinely interested; she threw the twig away from her and meandered her way back to him, looking here and there at some form of plant life as she did so.

"I was raised in care," Emily said dismissively, more interested at the wilderness around her then her less then orthodox upbringing. "If you're not put with a nice foster family or adopted then you are in an orphanage and in a way … I guess I see myself back there again."

"I don't understand," Jasyn said quietly, studying her intently as she talked about her life, seeming completely unperturbed by it. Jasyn never talked about his past and if he had, it had never been casually.

"Well, I grew up in a poor borough in New York. There wasn't a mother or father or even siblings, I was alone. And even as kids we were savvy, we cut our teeth on stealing things for ourselves, more food or some new kid's clothes, you know. You built up your stock and bartered and sold to get what you wanted, or in certain cases not to get beat up. It was very much, every man for himself."

Emily looked up at that point and smiled at Jasyn, "are you kind of getting where I'm going with this?"

"You grew up fending off stronger predators, making sure you weren't pray and knowing that if you didn't get something yourself, you'd never get it."

Again Emily beamed at him and this time he saw it, and was slightly mesmerised by it.

"Yes, that's exactly it. That's how I'm relating the two situations."

"Except this time the predators are interested in doing more then taking candy from you," Jasyn warned her and Emily snorted at him.

"Trust you not to take the situation seriously," she quipped, Jasyn stared at her for a moment, caught between amusement and …. He was ashamed to admit it but pity and fear for her.

"I suppose it was hard for you," Jasyn said softly, "and lonely."

He would know, he too had been orphaned at a young age, but still he'd got to know his parents before they were slaughtered. Actually, Jasyn didn't know if that made it better or worse.

"Come on!" Jasyn barked suddenly making Emily jump, "you need to learn this!"

Emily grumbled but reluctantly complied, she didn't think about her childhood very much, and very rarely thought about it with sadness in her heart. But she did realise that she had been robbed of something special, she looked at Jasyn thoughtfully, she wondered what his childhood had been like? Emily closed her eyes and faced the late afternoon sunlight, she took several deep breaths.

"Now concentrate," Jasyn commanded in her ear, his large hands came down upon her shoulders, like warm, comforting weights. "Visualise yourself in your hawk form."

Emily did as she was told, but all the while feeling how close Jasyn was to her, his breath on her ear, his lips scant inches from her flesh.

"Can you feel your feathers? The wind flowing over them?"

"Yes …"

"Can you hear sounds deepening? Can you feel your wings where your arms used to be?"

"Yes!" Emily cried suddenly, she did feel it.

"Now change!" Jasyn commanded her, and because his wilful voice so demanded, she did as it said and transformed. Emily kept her eyes closed as she charged her body up into the air like a bullet fired from a gun and spread her wings, allowing them to take her across the sky. There was a screech behind her and Emily knew that Jasyn had transformed and was behind her somewhere, following her through the air, the pair of them making silhouettes against the bright sky. It took much more concentration to keep in this form during the day; Emily could not afford to open her eyes for it would direct her attention away from her ability to maintain her form towards obstacles and other creatures. She felt herself wobble in midair and the nauseous feeling came over her, with her mind she automatically called out for help.

_Jasyn, I can't hold it!_

_Take yourself down_, his voice commanded urgently, _at the nearest landing space, I'll cover you if humans are around!_

Emily tried to obey but found herself unable to focus on direction or course with the effort of holding form, if she lost her form she would plummet to the ground and would be unable to capture it. Fear pounded through her heart now, Emily knew she could not maintain the hawk form a moment longer and that she would surely fall to her death. In her animal form tears of fear formed and she let out a cry.

_Help me!_

Emily felt herself smack into something hard and firm, she twisted away from it only to feel a sharp tearing at her chest. Emily transformed back into her naked human self as she fell rapidly towards the hard concrete ground. Jasyn bulleted to the ground after her, racing against the pull of gravity on Emily's body, he transformed not a moment to soon. Jasyn did not so much catch her as become a human pillow for her, she fell upon him and they both ended up in a crumpled heap with Jasyn on the bottom. His first thought was thank God she hadn't flown so far so she hadn't transformed in the middle of a packed out street of car park. Then he saw that she was slick with dark blood, Jasyn extracted himself from her limbs to see her chest had been torn open by something on the telephone pole, it was a common accident for birds but never for Weres. Jasyn cursed himself as he gathered her into his arms, some teacher he was turning out to be! First he'd threw her into a wall and probably broken her shoulder, now he'd drove her into a telephone pole and ripped her open, what next? Laying her under a car?

Without a moment to lose, Jasyn flashed them to Carson's surgery and shouted out for the doctor as he laid Emily's floppy body upon the operating table. Jasyn gripped her head between both his large hands, feeling them shake with fear when he saw she had lost consciousness, what he would give now for her to wake up and try to hit him again.

Carson came running in with Margie right behind him, he cursed when he saw Emily and Margie put her hands to her mouth, her eyes looking anguished.

"Margie -" Carson said over his shoulder but the able assistant was already prepping for surgery, Carson moved over to Emily and pushed Jasyn out of the way. Jasyn watched helplessly as Carson and Margie began to clean the wound which looked more ghastly then ever under the severe operating light.

"What happened to her?" Margie asked Jasyn, though her eyes never left Emily's body nor did her hands pause in their task.

"She flew into a telephone pole," Jasyn said, his voice a little bit desperate, Carson threw him a lightening quick glance of anger.

"What the hell was she doing flying?" he demanded, "she's too young to attempt that during the day, surely she must have known that!"

"I -" Jasyn felt guilt niggle at his insides before he told the truth, "I was with her, I was teaching her …"

Again the doc gave Jasyn that look of utter anger but this time mixed with disgust, Jasyn didn't think he could feel any worse but he did.

"A fine teacher you turned out to be," he hissed, Jasyn felt his incisors lengthen, "were you trying to kill her? Or was it fun for you to watch her almost die?"

Jasyn growled and stepped forward, ready to kill the young hawk but Margie gave a wordless shout that got both their attention.

"Both of you that's enough!" she snapped, "Carson stop picking at him, its obvious he never meant this to happen!"

Jasyn was taken aback, he'd never given this human the time of day and yet she defended him.

"And you! If you can't stay here without trying to attack him then leave, I can't sew her chest back together on my own, you know!"

Jasyn sneered but complied, and retreated to the doorway where he leant against the jamb watching in a state of extreme agitation.

Finally after what seemed like hours they snipped at the last stitch on her chest, tapped the last bandage into place and moved back, snapping off their latex gloves.

"That should do it," Carson said, "Margie you might ant to inform Mama Lo, and also get Aimee to bring some clothes for her."

Margie nodded and left to do his bidding, Jasyn watched Carson look down on Emily and gently stroke her hair from her forehead. Jealousy the likes of which he had never known ripped through him and he flashed to Emily's side, shouldering the doctor out the way. Carson let out an angry squawk but moved back and Jasyn grabbed a blanket and covered Emily's resplendent body from Carson's gaze. Jasyn looked down at Emily's face which was relaxed in sleep, Jasyn sensed Carson behind him, moving agitatedly to get a better look at Emily.

"Will she be alright?" Jasyn demanded abruptly over his shoulder, Carson silently sneered at him before answering.

"She'll heal," he answered stiffly, "she needs care and rest. She can't be allowed to disturb he wound, I have her on some pain meds which should help."

"Good," Jasyn whispered and he stroked Emily's burgundy hair away from her face, his face was the epitome of tender as he gazed at her.

"She should never have been flying," Carson said neutrally, not missing the soppy look on Jasyn's face and hating it. "She could have been killed."

"I know …"

"Did you want this to happen?" Carson accused suddenly and Jasyn turned like a flash and had the doctor by his lab coat lapels lifting onto his toes.

"You're dead, doc!" Jasyn threatened between clenched teeth, there was a gasp from the doorway.

"What's going on?" Aimee asked, while Margie watched warily over her shoulder. Jasyn lowered Carson and thrust him away, he returned to Emily's side and his hands unconsciously began smoothing out the blanket over her.

"Nothing," Carson said, straightening his coat with a sharp tug then stomping from the room, Margie watched him go with sad longing in her eyes. Aimee raised her eyebrows and shrugged; she deposited Emily's clothes on the end of the bed and leaned over to see Emily's face.

"Well, at least she doesn't look like she's in pain," Aimee murmured, her eyes flicked down to Jasyn's hand which rested on Emily's neck, his thumb stroking her collar bone, he didn't even seem to know what he was doing.

"I'll leave her to you Jasyn," Aimee said briskly and walked to the door ushering Margie with her, Jasyn gave her a bemused look. "I'm sure one hawk can take care of another much better then a bear or human."

Aimee shut the door behind her but not before seeing Jasyn reach for Emily's clothes, he ran his fingers over the neckline of her shirt and brought it to his nose. Aimee's heart gave a little twinge, it was obvious he was falling for Emily but his pride wouldn't let him act on it. Poor Jasyn, she'd never warmed to him but perhaps Emily would be good for him. Poor Emily, Jasyn would be the perfect mate to introduce her into the were-hunter way of life. Aimee walked down the hallway and passed Carson's door, she sighed as she went … Poor Margie.


	11. Chapter 11

Emily opened her eyes slowly and recognised Carson's surgery, the lights were dim and it was extremely quiet. Her mind quickly replayed to her the events of earlier; unwillingly they were playing her a vision of her hitting concrete with the auditory hallucination of a sickening thud and crack of her skull. Emily shuddered with revulsion and then groaned in pain when the slight movement caused her tenderly sown flesh to tug at the stitches. Instantly Jasyn appeared at her side making her jump and aggravate the wound more, Emily hissed but could not bear to move enough to look down at her chest.

"How're you feeling?" Jasyn said urgently, his voice husky as if he had been woken from sleep; he also looked worried if her eyes were not deceiving her.

"Fine," she whispered her voice a little bit hoarse.

"Should I call Carson or the human?" he asked with concern and Emily stared for a moment, she shook her head.

"Margie, Jasyn," she corrected softly, "the human's name is Margie. And no I just need to lie here for a while without any fuss. But I don't want you to leave!" She added quickly, in case he thought to leave her to sleep. "I get so bored when I'm left in rooms on my own."

Emily thought back to when she was in hospital in Bulgaria after Jasyn had first tried to kill her, but she didn't mention it. Jasyn nodded and settled back into his chair, pulling it closer to her bed, the chair was so low and the bed so high that their heads were almost level. Emily gritted her teeth and shifted slightly so that she could comfortably turn her head and shoulder to look at Jasyn, his face was stony.

"I guess this is where you tell me I brought this on myself," Emily grimaced and Jasyn blinked slowly, he lean his arm on the bed the lay his chin upon it, looking into Emily's eyes.

"Is that why you think I'm here?" Jasyn couldn't help feeling stupidly hurt by her assessment of his motives for being there.

"Aren't you?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," Jasyn admitted softly, his lids lowered so she would not see the guilt there. "After all it is my fault you're hurt in the first place."

"No, it isn't," Emily protested earnestly, "it wasn't anyone's fault, really. I just couldn't hold my form."

Her cheeks flushed crimson and Jasyn reached out his hand to stroke a finger over her blush, she was forever embarrassed by admitting her short comings to him and he didn't like it.

"I never told you this," Jasyn whispered gently to her, his voice soothing to her ears, "but Were-Hunters just out of puberty can't even change during daylight. So you may think you've failed but in actual fact you are probably more powerful then a lot of Weres who grew up with the knowledge of what they are."

"Really?" Emily whispered smiling widely, she felt proud of herself but much happier that Jasyn was actually praising her; it made her feel stupidly weepy.

Jasyn nodded and moved her hair from her face, he watched her close her eyes as if soothed by his hand, which was something he had trouble believing. His hands were made for murder and destruction, he'd never touched another being with such tenderness and care, yet there was no denying the gentleness that possessed him now. Emily made a noise of contentment which gave him a satisfied thrill, she opened her eyes.

"That feels so nice."

"I'm glad."

He stroked her a little bit more; thinking that her hair was like crimson silk, then she took his hand in hers and held it, looking up at him with those hazel eyes of hers that looked amber in the dim light.

"Do Were-Hunters scar, Jasyn?" Emily asked him suddenly, she felt stupid asking him such a question when it was obvious she was very lucky not to have been more badly hurt. Yet that small vain part of her, the part connected to her wonderings of what Jasyn thought when he looked at her, needed to know.

"Yes," he whispered, Jasyn thought of his own scars even as his eyes flicked down to Emily's covered chest. "Every Were-Hunter has scars."

"Are we talking physical or emotional?" Emily said with a droll smile and Jasyn huffed out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Both," he replied quietly, Emily's smile turned grim.

"Well, I best keep it covered up or I'll never get another date again," Emily said flippantly to break the silence that fell between them.

"You're still beautiful, Emily," Jasyn assured her seriously and Emily felt that stupid sensation of her eyes filling with tears, praise and approval from Jasyn was kind of like a blessing from the Pope.

Jasyn couldn't believe what he had just said to her, it had been the truth of course, but where were his striving efforts to keep his feelings for her suppressed? Where was his natural and automatic revulsion at having to associate with an Arcadian?

"Jasyn?"

Jasyn blinked and raised his eyes to meet Emily's; her silence had made him think that she had drifted back off to sleep.

"Yes?"

Emily shifted to look at him better; still she retained possession of his hand which Jasyn found he quite liked.

"Why aren't you mated yet?"

He was taken aback by that and found that he couldn't quite meet her eyes when he answered her. Instead he concentrated on studying the slender shape of her fingers and neatly cut nails.

"I told you, it's not a voluntary thing," he replied, "the Fates decide who you mate with."

"Yeah, but surely you can actively look for her?" Emily persisted, "Or do you have to literally wait until 'The One' bumps into you in the street?"

She said 'the one' in a sardonic way that made Jasyn risk a look at her, she obviously didn't believe in the one.

"Something like that," Jasyn answered with the trace of laughter in his voice, "you're shown a sign and then you know this is the person you're bound to."

Emily made a dissatisfied noise and Jasyn found himself smirking, "what?"

"Well," she said slowly not meeting his eyes, "it's all a little bit … unromantic."

Emily risked a look at him and blushed a little before shrugging, "well, it's just when you told me about all the things that a mating entailed I thought it sounded rather lovely. You know, always being faithful to each other and all that? Now I'm not so sure."

"No?"

"Well, the way you put it you could just as soon as got out of a furious fight with someone and then they became the person you're meant to spend the rest of your life with."

Jasyn did laugh then, "it doesn't work like that."

"Oh?" Emily said curiously.

"The mating mark will show itself after two chosen mates fu - err … are intimate."

Emily raised her eyebrows, "you're shitting me!"

"Nope," Jasyn laughed and watched with delight as expressions played across her face while thoughts raced through her mind.

"Well, then … that can't be so bad, can it?" Emily asked cautiously, "I mean, if you are prepared to sleep with this person before you're shown to be mates, it can't be so completely horrid to be mated."

"Again, it -"

"Doesn't always work like that," Emily said wryly and Jasyn nodded a smile gracing his mouth once again, making him so handsome to Emily that she blushed at the thought of how much of a wreck she must look.

"There are cases when Weres have come across one another while the female is in season," Jasyn explained, "by then she'll shag a squirrel if it nibbles its nuts the right way."

"Eww!" Emily wrinkled her nose with disgust but could not contain a laugh; it was the kind of crude humour that Jay and Paul were King of. Jasyn's eyes softened and he tucked his hand more securely around hers.

"In most cases though Weres will simply sleep with everyone that crosses their path, it's the surest way of meeting your mate."

"I suppose so," Emily mused discontentedly, "so then in actual fact you _could _be mated to someone you detest. In theory _you _could be mated to an Arcadian."

Jasyn's face turned stony and Emily grimaced and her heart dropped a little, "sorry. You just ate, right?"

Jasyn reluctantly nodded and silence descended, though Emily noted with a small thrill that he hadn't let go of her hand.

"So fidelity matters to you then?" Jasyn said finally and Emily looked up at him, his face was still like granite and she wished he was smiling again.

"It means something to every woman," Emily replied dismissively and heard Jasyn scoff mockingly, she gave him a filthy look which tickled silent laughter into his eyes. It was only that which made her speak to him.

"Yes, it means something to me. So what?" she snapped defensively, "doesn't it mean anything to you?"

Jasyn shrugged nonchalantly, "it doesn't really matter whether it does."

"And why's that?"

"Do you know you manage to sound sarcastic even when you're asking questions?" Jasyn jibed, rolling his eyes at her, "because when mated only the male is bound by the faithful-ever-more law. You women can sleep with twenty guys a night while the men turn into a fucking _ktistai_."

"What?"

"Celibate … living like monks."

"But surely if you were in love and trusted -"

Jasyn's laugh was so harsh it came out like a screech; he couldn't believe how naïve she was! Love and trust? They were as alien to Jasyn as betrayal and hurt were to her, he would never trust a woman the way she was talking about. To willingly lie down beside her and sleep without thought that she might put a knife in his chest? To allow her to prepare food without the suspicion that it may be poisoned? No, he could not trust, he wasn't capable of it.

"Surely you don't expect me to believe all that love and trust bullshit?" Jasyn sneered mockingly at her, "or to believe that _you _really believe in it?"

Emily squirmed a little, granted she'd been shitted on by Edward but it hadn't erased her belief that though there may not be 'The One' out there, love and trust were still fundamental parts of many strong, healthy, loving relationships.

"What do you mean?"

"You and the good Doctor," Jasyn said casually but with venom, "Quassim, was it? What was it again? Oh yes - '_I know you'll never forgive me, and I know I don't deserve it ... I made a wrong choice. And I would just like you to know that I've learnt my lesson and if you'd ever find it in your heart to give me some room back in your life, I will not, ever, be as foolish and complacent. Nor will I take it for granted_'".

Emily abruptly whipped her hand from Jasyn's, she was seething with rage at the idea of him listening to a conversation so heartfelt and personal and then to mock it.

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" she hissed at him, "no idea at all!"

"Hey, you cheated on the doctor and he was dumb enough to trust you -"

"I never cheat on anyone, and if you took the time to find out more you'd see that Quassim was my friend!" Emily spat furiously, "a friend that warned me against being with a man that would eventually go on to cheat on me and break my heart!"

Emily sat back and stared evilly at him, wishing thousands of horrid things on him; Jasyn tried to think of something to say but had run out of ideas. Clearly it was a touchy subject and he had been less the tactless in approaching it, he had just thought she was a cheating, hypocritical bitch that was trying to schmooze him with all this love and trust crap. He hadn't expected her to be a victim of betrayal herself! Usually the victims were like him, bitter and suspicious but she talked like she still believed in people, that someone out there may actually stand the test. Well, that was youth and inexperience for you …

Jasyn was about to open his mouth and say sorry when the door opened behind them, Jasyn looked over his shoulder and frowned menacingly, it was that stupid, young hatchling.

"You should be sleeping," Carson said kindly advancing further into the room, all Jasyn heard was lascivious intent in his smooth, friendly voice and manner. It was all he could do to keep from growling and blocking his view of Emily.

"How're you feeling?"

"Better," Emily said with a smile, Jasyn clamped down tight on his jealousy and moved away from the bed so Carson could approach. Carson came close and took her hand, feeling her wrist for her pulse she let him. Her eyes were calm as they stared back at Carson and her smile, though tired was in place, Jasyn removed himself from the room less he do something stupid and needless. What did he want with the approval of a little Arcadian hawkswan?

Emily pursed her lips and watched Jasyn leave, wasn't it just typical of him to spoil things? Weren't they having a marvellous little time together when he had to go and be all infuriating and horrid? Still, she hadn't wanted him to leave.

Emily made herself focus on what Carson was telling her, all the while her eyes flicking to the door to see if he might come back to her.

* * *

Jasyn slept all through the next day because he was so tired on account of the all night vigil he'd kept outside Emily's room. Carson was becoming more troublesome by the minute, the young Hawkswain may have said that he would not actively make the moves on Emily, but he's kind and friendly, I'm-your-doctor-lean-on-my-shoulder routine was doing it for him. It was five o clock when Jasyn flashed into human form and took a shower, all the while thinking of Emily. Not wanting to say sorry even when you were wrong was the most irritating part of being proud and stubborn, he guessed that's why one was a deadly sin. Maybe she had simmered down enough to forget about the whole thing, and perhaps if he walked in there with the whole 'Honey, I'm home' attitude she would just go with it. Jasyn grimaced as he stepped out of the shower and started to dry, she'd looked very pissed off last night though …

Who wouldn't? Her boyfriend had cheated on her and left her and then there was him rubbing salt in the wound, so to speak. But what was with her and the doctor friend though? The guy had been severely hurt and angry at her and then she'd given her little speech about not taking things for granted and he'd caved. Jasyn didn't want to admit it but he could see why, Emily had something sincere about her, something innocent in her that said if she ever caused someone harm she genuinely had absolutely no intention of doing it. Unless she meant to do it that is, in the case of her trying to slap him senseless the other day on the landing. Jasyn couldn't help huffing out a small laugh at the memory of it, yeah; she was a little spitfire alright. Jasyn's movements slowed in drying himself with the towel as he thought of what Emily said to him last night, her friend had warned against a man that went on to cheat on her and break her heart. What kind of man was it that she had been in love with? He couldn't see her shacking up with any old Joe Public off the street, she had a certain taste, Jasyn would bet …

The guy would be intellectual, like her, because his girl was savvy and sharp. And Jasyn reckoned he would be a city guy, used to fast paced lifestyle, and rich too, you usually had to be rich if you lived in a city. This by extension meant he was likely into material things, the latest trend that money could buy, gadgets and cars and what not. He'd be handsome too, for Emily was beautiful and she would attract the top of the tree everywhere she went. The picture that Jasyn built in his mind of this mystery guy was one he didn't like; he couldn't understand why a man, a human man, would let Emily go. Jasyn was a Katagari Were-Hunter, his life wasn't so simple that he could just forsake everything and choose to be with Emily. But if he was, if he could be, he would be.

Jasyn cursed as he finally admitted it to himself, he wanted her, he liked her and he couldn't have her. He'd never been interested in women for anything more then a one night stand yet now he was stuck around a woman he wanted to be near, one that put fire in his blood and warmth in his heart, he really did like her. She didn't annoy him like most women did, granted at first he thought her stupid, but that was because she didn't publicise how smart she was. And funny! Damn, she made him want to laugh all the time, women never made him laugh; he always thought they were silly. And she was so curious and excited about everything he had to tell her and show her that her eyes literally glowed when they talked.

Jasyn shivered and blinked, he was standing in the middle of he's bathroom letting the cold air dry the beads of water on his body, he looked down and cursed, he was rock hard. It was a familiar sight of course, ever since Emily had been at Sanctuary he felt like he was a callow youth going through puberty again. Especially when he got out of the shower he seemed to be thinking of her, thinking of her drenched in water. He could never imagine what she would look like, he'd seen her naked it was true, but he'd been far to worried about the bloody gaping hole in her chest to appreciate how beautiful she was. Jasyn reached down and took a hold of himself in his fist, he was a big man when erect, by human standards he was exceptional. Jasyn stroked once and bit his lip when pleasure zinged through him, it was rare that he did this, most of the time when he needed release he would simply find himself a willing woman, use her and leave. Besides manhandling yourself was pretty useless in Jasyn's opinion because most times you were hard again within seconds of a release anyway. But there was no other way for Jasyn now, he wanted Emily and he doubted anyone would produce this type of need in him.

Jasyn slipped his hand down to cup the two weights that were his balls and squeezed gently; he gasped and began to stroke himself with fervour. His head was leant back against the glass of the shower door, his legs splayed wide and his toes fisting in the carpet, while his mind put he and Emily inside the shower stall. The hot water was on full and steam surrounding them while Jasyn licked the water from her breasts, her nails were like talons in his back making him moan when she scratched him. Emily was leant against the tiled wall and Jasyn placed himself between her thighs, she lifted herself, locking them around his waist so that the tip of his cock pressed against her intimately.

_Jasyn_, she breathed in his ear. Jasyn's strokes had increased in speed and when he came he bit down so hard on his lower lip he drew blood, Jasyn rocked his hips against his hand and milked himself dry as jet after jet spilled from him. When Jasyn opened his eyes and looked down upon himself he groaned and turned his face away. No one could believe in that moment he was filled with self-loathing and disgust, he couldn't comprehend why he would desire this woman when her people had slaughtered and brutalised his family and his race. He made him want to cry hot tears of rage, but he didn't. Jasyn cleaned himself up and dressed, his mind a jumble of chaotic and contradictory thoughts and wants.

* * *

It was his night off tonight, he usually spent it alone instead Jasyn took a night flight across town to one of those all night supermarket stores that humans visit a lot. In the shadows and darkness, away from the bright lights flooding the car park, Jasyn transformed and walked through the automatic doors. Immediately the humans around him sensed something not right by his presence, the man on the door eyed him suspiciously and though he tried to be sneaky about following Jasyn around, Jasyn spotted him a mile off. Jasyn finally found what he came for, he stopped in front of a brightly displayed section that sold flowers and cards and balloons. Jasyn began to peruse, not entirely sure what he wanted to buy. There was an old woman in an employee's outfit and a boy of about eighteen also an employee, the old woman regarded him suspiciously also but the boy was wearing headphones and had no idea what was going on. Jasyn looked at the cards and frowned, Congratulations on new born babies, new jobs, engagements and passing exams - no, he had no need of them.

Good luck in new jobs, exams, new life - certainly didn't have need of that!

Happy birthdays, happy anniversary, Valentines Day, Halloween, Fourth of July and so on. Jasyn sneered at them and moved down to cards that had more sedate pictures on them, mostly landscapes or picturesque still-life, most of them read: with deepest sympathy.

"Can I help you?"

Jasyn turned to find the old woman with steel gray curls and wire framed spectacles giving him a gimlet stare.

"Where are the sorry cards?" Jasyn asked and the woman's old face pinched up tight as if she thought he was being stupid.

"The what?" she demanded rudely and Jasyn rolled his eyes, old people who thought their age was a license to be rude.

"Sorry cards, woman!" Jasyn snapped, "you know, like birthday cards but instead it says I'm sorry!"

"Well, I expect you have a lot to apologise for in your life," the woman said and waddled off; Jasyn gaped after her, not so much because of her rudeness but more because her words were so accurate. He looked up and found that the guy with the headphones was approaching him; Jasyn sensed that the guy was scared of him and didn't try to look less threatening.

"Don't mind her she just thinks all young people need to be sterilised until they have developed a sense of morality," the guy said drolly.

"Arcadian," Jasyn sneered at the woman's retreating form and the guy frowned, "another word for Nazi," Jasyn quickly explained.

"Oh, cool," the guy said and walked his gangly, rather unsightly form over to the cards; he looked then turned to Jasyn, "all out of sorry cards. We have sympathy ones but I'm guessing you want the more grovelling kind?"

"I don't grovel," Jasyn growled, "ever!"

The guy blanched and held up his hands in surrender, hey man, I can dig that. You're sticking to your guns and all that. I just get make up sex faster if I grovel."

Jasyn raised a disbelieving eyebrow; he would have bet this guy had never had a girlfriend in his life.

"Why don't you try flowers? They work just as well."

Jasyn walked over to the flower display and looked and the variety, there were many different colours and shapes, textures and scents, Jasyn wanted to find one that would be pleasing to all the senses but one that was symbolic of what he was trying to say, he looked at the guy.

"What flower means I'm sorry?" he asked and the guy looked blank, he blinked and cleared his throat quickly.

"Well, you got lilies, but that's the kind of sorry you want to give to the dearly departed, if you get me?"

Jasyn wasn't sure that he did.

"But red roses mean I love you, I know that for sure …"

Jasyn sighed, thanked the guy quietly and stared at the bouquets of blooming red roses and white lilies, he clucked his tongue. What flower would Emily like?

Jasyn cursed at himself and grabbed the first thing he put his hand on, a single gold Calla lily, Jasyn paid for it and flashed himself back to Sanctuary and made his way to Emily's room. Jasyn approached the door which stood ajar, he was careful as always to conceal his scent, at the sound of voices he hid and listened.

"You know, I watch your show all the time?" Jasyn froze that was Sergio, a moronic hawk that had been at Sanctuary for just over six months, Jasyn could barely abide him most days and now the urge to kill him was in need of sating. All Sergio ever talked about was finding his mate and was convinced that she would be a hawk because he was a purest and didn't believe in cross-species breeding. The bastard had now set his sights on Emily and was trying to woo her into bed, Jasyn felt sick at the thought of him touching her.

"Do you?" Emily's voice sounded pleased.

"Yeah, it's truly inspiring," Sergio said oily, "I mean, I didn't know you was a Were-Hunter and I always used to think, damn, that woman has a way with animals. I mean, as a predator myself I would have been prepared to just lay down at your feet."

"Oh, erm, lovely, t-thank you," Emily responded, she sounded like she was blushing and Sergio continued to fawn.

"Well, who wouldn't?" Sergio insisted, "you are so beautiful and talented and …" he paused and Jasyn risked a look around the door frame, Sergio was brushing Emily's hair back from her head, "sexy."

Jasyn watched as Emily gave him a pretty smile that did nothing to deter the hawk's advances, in fact she let him get closer, so if she wanted she could reach out and touch his face. Jasyn let the lily drop from his hand, he was inexplicably hurt by what he was seeing and he absolutely hated himself because of it. Without waiting to hear anymore, because Sergio had practically gotten into her bed already, Jasyn flashed himself to his room. He didn't see Margie step out of the shadows by the staircase, nor did he hear the sharp crack that came from Emily's room when she slapped Sergio's face.

Margie saved the Calla lily before Sergio could stamp upon it as he rushed past, holding his cheek, Margie poked her head around the door.

"Everything alright?" she asked and Emily nodded, laying back into her pillows.

"Everything's fine now," Emily said, "that Serge guy came in here and started trying to wet his beak with the new girl."

"Yeah, he's like that," Margie laughed, "I'm glad you used initiative and slapped him one, it's the procedure we always use on him."

"Won't I get thrown out for that?" Emily asked suddenly, worried she'd broken a rule and Margie shook her head.

"Not if not seen and acknowledged," Margie explained, "and he won't bother about it. Under all that sleaze he's a bit of a sweetheart, with a good sense of humour."

Emily smiled, talking to Sergio had her wishing Jasyn had come to visit her, Emily noted the flower in Margie's hand.

"For me?" she said sweetly and Margie gave it to her.

"Not from me though," she explained and Emily raised an eyebrow at her, "I saw Jasyn hanging about outside your room, he had second thoughts about coming it apparently. Dropped the flower and left."

"Why?" Emily said sounding a little distraught, she checked herself and tried to look puzzled.

"Maybe he thought you were entertaining Sergio," Margie suggested and Emily groaned, Margie gave her leg a sympathetic rub and looked over at her bedside table, "those are cute!"

She pointed to several little Amy Brown fairy figurines, Emily looked at them dismissively still thinking on Jasyn.

"Aimee brought them in earlier," Emily explained, "she thought they would cheer me up."

"Hasn't worked then," Margie said and Emily lay down, holding the flower close to her nose, she had to admit it to herself now even if nothing came of it, she was seriously falling for Jasyn.


	12. Chapter 12

"You okay with being bouncer tonight?" Dev asked Jasyn, "or did you want to join the party?"

Jasyn simply sneered in response and the bear chuckled while he looked in the mirror at himself, he hadn't dressed up, simply worn a muscle shirt that displayed his bow and arrow tattoo and made his fangs lengthen. The humans wouldn't get it but the Dark-Hunters would think it was a scream and the Daimons - well, Jasyn wasn't sure if they would find it funny.

"I swear I don't know what packs New Orleans out more sometimes, Halloween or Mardi Gras," Dev muttered to himself, he flicked a look at Jasyn, "did you know, a bus load of tourists have already booked tickets to make sure they got in here tonight?"

Jasyn snorted, "stupid humans."

"Emily won't be working tonight," Dev said pointedly after a little pause, as if it was supposed to mean something to Jasyn.

"So?" Jasyn snapped belligerently.

"I thought you two were close?" Dev said casually, trying to pry without being obvious.

"She's Arcadian," Jasyn said with a warning note in his voice that told Dev to stop while he was still breathing.

"She sure is," Dev murmured and went down the stairs, leaving Jasyn standing there with his fists clenched, staring furiously after him. Jasyn had avoided having anything to do with Emily since he'd seen Sergio and her together, and just for good measure he'd kept out of the way of Sergio too, in case the guy met an unfortunate demise. All because of one scheming Arcadian hawkswan who flitted from one bird to the other. Jasyn followed Dev down the stairs and poked his head through to the bar area, the bar wasn't ready yet, Margie, Serre and Colt were still adding black and orange streamers to the ceiling and Aubert was having fun carving up Jack o lanterns.

"Excuse me, Jasyn?" Jasyn turned and saw Lucille, Remi's human mate and their adopted son, Manuel. Oh the horror! Jasyn gave the child a terrified stare, then look up at Remi horrified when he appeared behind his mate and son.

"You've dressed him as a teddy bear!" Jasyn grunted, still looking down at the kid's large brown eyes, they put him in a little furry suit with a blue velvet bow tie and a pair of bear ears, then blackened his little button nose with face paint.

"We're going trick or treating," Lucille explained as if it would make a difference to Jasyn's horrified expression, Manuel grinned at Jasyn, his milk teeth barely beginning to show.

"Tick ah eat," he gabbled in baby language and opened his little bag, Jasyn frowned and Remi laughed evilly, Jasyn looked up at him.

"Yeah, Jasyn, trick or treat?" Remi casually threw an egg up in the air and caught it, it didn't smash in his hand, Jasyn stiffened.

"We better be going," Lucille said hastily and hurried her men out the door, before the door shut Jasyn heard the cooing and laughing from Remi's family and Margie at the baby's outfit.

The door swung shut and there was more laughter and merriment coming through from the kitchen, Jasyn approached the door and saw Sergio standing in the middle of Etienne, Kyle, Cody, Max, Aimee, Justin and Zar. He was obviously telling them some type of anecdote, which was his style of humour. Admittedly he was funny most of the time; he usually exaggerated what ever happened to him to the point where it was so unbelievable it became comical. They were all laughing at him as he acted out with hand gestures and body movements what happened.

"I swear guys, this one you won't believe," Sergio cried loudly, "I mean, we all know I am a ladies man -"

The crowd gave good natured groan and Sergio pretended to be offended though his laughter belied that.

"No, ask Aimee! She has barely kept herself from succumbing to my charms, ain't that right, girl?"

Aimee pretended to swoon and Jasyn saw the tensing in her brothers even though they were still smiling.

"Anyway, yesterday I hear to my greatest concern that one of our precious number here at Sanctuary, one of Mama Lo's loyal flock, has been injured! And who is it? I ask myself, only little miss nature herself Emily McLean!"

They laughed and for the first time Jasyn noticed Emily standing behind Justin, she was sipping soda out of a cup to try and hide her smile.

"So, as you can imagine, because I am a great bird lover -" Sergio winked so mischievously at her and Emily had to hold her lips together to stop her spitting out her drink. "I think I must go to see her, to offer her the comfort of my bosom, such as it is."

Serre and Zar gave Emily mock pitying looks while the rest of the crowd wolf whistled; Sergio kept an impeccably straight face.

"I know what you guys are thinking, but take your smutty minds out of the gutter! I wanted to go to her and share with her my deepest appreciation of her. Because on those nights when I can't sleep and flip on the T.V and see her swinging about in trees and what not, I tell ya … its better then Babe station free view!"

Emily let out a disgusted cry that mixed with her laughter; the guys all jovially murmured their agreement and Emily punched Justin in the arm when he muttered something in her ear, the panther laughed heartily. Sergio quietened them with his hands, like a preacher quietening his flock at the pulpit.

"So I go to her room and sidle up to the door," Sergio went to the fridge and pretended it was the door jamb and leant against it and gyrated his hips, the crowd made disgusted noises and chuckled at his antics, even Jasyn rolled his eyes and felt his mouth twitch. "So as you can see I was showing her some stellar moves here, and she looks up from her sick bed and calls to me. Yes, my brothers, she calls to me!"

"Amen!" Etienne cried.

"That's what I said too," Sergio cried back, throwing up his hands in praise, imitating a deep southern accent, "I said amen the girl is so spaced out on drugs that she is calling me to her!"

"How she call you?" Cody said, chuckling around his cigarette.

"Sergio!" Serge put on a breathy French accent and sounded strangely like Marilyn Monroe, "Sergio, my strong hawk! Wrap your wings about me and pluck my feathers!"

Emily let out a laugh of indignation and threw a tea towel at him; he caught it and laid it over his shoulder.

"So I walk over -" he mimicked walking over seductively to the bed, "I stop. I turn to her. I tell her how much I loved watching her on T.V, I touch her fevered forehead and she beckons me closer. I lean in thinking tonight the bird may just get lucky, and deliver my line to her. By the way men, this line can only be used on hawkswan!"

Sergio leans over Aimee, whose back bows trying to lean back from him, all the while she laughs uncontrollably.

"Now this is a good line: Baby, you should be in a bucket of KFC, because you got the hot wings and the breast!"

The crowd laughed hard and shook their heads booing at Sergio, throwing plastic cups and tea towels at him.

"What?" Sergio said defensively, "what?"

"Please tell me she hit you?" Kyle said nonchalantly.

"Well, funny you should say that …" Sergio said and the men laughed even harder.

"She hit you?" Justin cried holding his stomach, "she seriously hit you?"

"Emily?" Sergio called for back up.

"I didn't hit him that hard!" Emily cried happily.

"She knocked my teeth around the back of my head!" Sergio said, "I saw birds flying around my head, I swear it was like a family reunion!"

The crowd laughed again before dispersing to go help with the decorating, Jasyn stepped back as they exited the kitchen, pulling up at the end with Aimee was Emily, she had a smile a mile wide. Jasyn wanted to hit himself for being so rash and judgemental; luckily he hadn't had the chance to do or say anything to her which may have caused irreparable damage.

Emily spotted him immediately and she let Aimee go on before turning to him, a sweet smile gracing her face just for him.

"Happy Halloween," she said, her hands behind her back as she stepped closer to him, Jasyn allowed himself to smile back at her.

"Happy Halloween," he repeated, "you seem to be enjoying yourself?"

"Sergio," she said simply, "he keeps calling me birdie one-punch and The Claw."

"Yeah, I heard you tried to murder him," Jasyn said, obviously he had heard no such thing, but he allowed her to think he'd known all along, Emily gave him a secret smile that he couldn't decipher.

She brought her arms from behind her back and stood with one hand on her hip and in the other she held an egg, she gave him a sassy smile.

"Trick or Treat?" she asked coyly and Jasyn eyed her worriedly, unlike Remi she really would egg him.

"I hope you know that egging someone is abhorrent to most hawks," Jasyn lied quickly, "it's like killing our ancestors or descendants or something."

Emily gave him a look of mock concern, "really?"

"Oh yeah."

"So do you want a treat then?"

It was the quickest hard on he'd got in his life and before he could think of anything to say he simply nodded, Emily made a commiserating face.

"I'm out of treats!"

She smashed the egg into his forehead Jasyn let out an outraged squawk then opened his eyes and to his amazement there was no gooey yolk running down his face. Emily laughed and showed him a hard boiled egg, flattened and mashed but pretty much intact, Jasyn picked a tiny piece of shell from his face.

"Boiled egg," he muttered appreciatively and Emily nodded.

"You didn't really think I would egg _you_, did you?"

"I have vivid memories of a water pistol in your hand, so forgive me for doubting you," Jasyn said solemnly, Emily let out a cackle and threw the egg into the bin. "You realise you've just boiled one of our relatives?"

"You are such a liar!" Emily chuckled, "Sergio did the same trick to Carson, Dev and Remi this morning!"

"Ah …" Jasyn bit his lip, realising he was caught in the lie.

"Egg on your face?"

"Shut up," Jasyn groaned good-naturedly and ruffled her hair affectionately, Emily didn't react to what he'd done but both realised it was one of the first times he'd touched her so casually and with friendly intent.

"Well, I have to get dressed," Emily said breaking the silence, "see you later."

She pranced off up the stairs and Jasyn took his place at the door, he brought his hand to his nose and inhaled, her hair was sweet.

* * *

Jasyn threw daggers at Dev as the bear approached him, before the bear could say anything Jasyn beat him to it.

"I'm warning you bear, fuck off!"

"Jasyn, don't ruffle your feathers, man!" From behind his back Dev brought a white hat with a feather in it, Dev didn't try to put it on his head, "everyone's wearing something, man."

"And which poor, defenceless, winged creature did you kill for this?" Jasyn asked drolly as he flicked the feather with his finger.

"Sergio," Dev answered seriously.

"I'm wearing it," Jasyn said just as serious and cracked a rare smile at the bear, Dev laughed heartily when Jasyn put the hat on.

"You look like a Cuban pimp," Dev chortled, he looked over Jasyn's shoulder, "what do you think, Emily?"

Emily was just stepping off the bottom step of the stair case, she scrutinised Jasyn seriously for a moment before her face cracked a smile.

She passed Dev a sardonic look, "not Cuban."

Jasyn didn't hear her words, he was looking at her outfit and his mouth was hanging off its hinges. She had on a golden peasant blouse, the short sleeves hung off her pretty shoulders and the laces at the front of the blouse were left loose. Over it she wore a reddish corset that pushed her breasts together and up like luscious peaches nestled together in a fruit bowl. Her skirt was the same colour as her blouse and there was something floral about it, almost the shape of an upside down flower. On her feet she wore delicate little golden flats and on her back a pair of spectacular golden yellow wings which were artfully made to look like the petals of a flower which were unfolding. Her beautiful, long burgundy hair she had brushed straight and it hung around one side over her shoulder, in her hand she held a single golden Calla lily, the one he'd bought her.

"What are you supposed to be then?" Emily asked him saucily, "a bird in disguise?"

Jasyn smiled a little shyly and cleared his throat, "something like that. What are you?"

"I'm an Amy Brown fairy," Emily said happily, she gave him a twirl that blew up her dress, letting him glimpse the rounded cheeks of her bottom.

"Well, you look beautiful," Emily gave him a glowing look, she touch her flower to his cheek.

"You gave me the idea really."

"You're welcome," Jasyn muttered a little embarrassed, he didn't ask how she'd found the flower or known it was he that had bought it for her.

"So," Jasyn cleared his throat quickly and turned to the packed bar and dance floor, "I'm not very good with guessing what everyone is supposed to be. What the hell is she?"

"A pink lady," Emily chuckled, "you know from the movie Grease? John Travolta and Olivia Newton John?"

Jasyn made a grunt noise and Emily laughed, "Guess not. Dev is Dark-Hunter; Etienne is playing the role of Danny Zuko, also out of Grease. And Aimee is Little Red Riding Hood."

_How appropriate_, Jasyn thought wondering if Fang had seen her in that get up.

"I thought the point of Halloween was to be scary?" Jasyn pointed out and Emily nodded, she pointed at Sergio who was dancing erratically on the dance floor.

"Well, he's meant to be Beetle Juice."

A woman with lots of backcombed, hair sprayed black hair walked past them in a very tight black cat suit; she looked over her shoulder giving Jasyn a hot, come-and-chase-me-baby look.

"And her?" Jasyn asked, twitching his head curiously, Emily felt jealousy prick at her insides and was happy when the woman was accosted by Justin.

"Isn't it obvious," Emily replied in clipped tones, Jasyn raised a brow at her, "a predatory female black panther."

Jasyn watched Justin take the woman to the back room that the bears had sound proofed for reasons best left to the imagination. Jasyn was just thinking it was going to be hard to get the woman out of such a tight outfit since she looked like she had to be sown into it, when Emily stalked off.

"Where're you going?" Jasyn called after her, she turned on him with an icily polite smile.

"Well, since you were gawking and dribbling, I thought I'd leave you to do it in private. I'll see you later," she said politely and stalked off through the crowd, Jasyn smirked wickedly, she was jealous!

* * *

Margie lined her eyes carefully with black kohl then stood back to admire her handy work in the mirror, her outfit of a gypsy fortune teller was as daring as she could go without feeling like an old chick trying to be young. Admittedly she was only thirty-two, but when you were constantly surrounded by gorgeous were-women it kind of put a dent on the old ego. Margie tugged her black, lacy peasant blouse and it loosened to show her cleavage, she also got Emily to tighten her corset so that her waist was more defined and her boobs looked pert. Not that she was sagging south or anything! Margie restrained herself from running a hand through her newly styled curls, it made her usually average brown locks look beautiful. It wasn't a practical style for her everyday life but Margie wished she could look like this all the time, Margie wrapped a scarf around her head and attached great hoop earrings to her ears. She admired herself in the mirror, the sensual, dark make-up did something positive for her plain features; she was glowing tonight. Not that Carson would notice, he never noticed, she would only ever remain his assistant and friend. Which was to be expected, she was human, he a Were, it's not like anything could come of them even if, in her wildest dreams, something did happen.

So tonight she was going to try and shake off her old feelings of infatuation and look for someone new in the crowd of demons, werewolves, vampires and humans. Margie nodded to her reflection, a look of determination steeling her features; she turned and opened the bathroom door that took her into the main part of the surgery. She picked up her bag with her work clothes in it and went to store it in her locker.

"Hi?"

Margie looked around and felt a small twinge of regret at the sight of Carson; he was dressed as a mad scientist, with fake blood stains over his lab coat and a grey wig on. Margie remembered her promise to herself and pushed her feelings aside, she gave him a friendly smile.

"I like your costume," she said and Carson glanced down at himself a little shyly, he gave a self-conscious shrug.

"I don't have much imagination for these things," he laughed then looked up at her, "you look great."

"Aw, thanks," Margie locked her locker and approached him, he was staring at her.

"Remember when you first found out about Were-Hunters?" Carson reminisced with a boyish grin, "that was Halloween too."

"Best night of my life," Margie chuckled and they walked towards the door.

"Are you happy, Margie?" Carson mused suddenly, he looked at her curiously. Margie was taken aback by the directness of the question and the deepness of it too, but she didn't pause to consider her answer.

"I'm content."

"But not happy?"

"I have some vital things missing from my life."

"Such as …?"

"I can't tell you that," Margie laughed and shook her head, Carson pretended to look hurt.

"How can I help you if you don't tell me?"

"What makes you think you can give me what I want?"

Carson leant close to whisper conspiratorially in her ear, "I'm a Were-Hunter and we can do anything. Didn't you know?"

Margie laughed and patted his shoulder before moving away from him and temptation, "not this."

Carson's face flickered with concern before smiling again, as they came to the bar area, bypassing a stony looking Jasyn, Margie turned to him.

"Are you happy?"

Carson flicked his gaze over Emily before looking back at her, "no."

* * *

Jasyn watched with a satisfied gleam in his eye when Emily came sauntering over to him an hour later. In each hand she held a cup and when she stopped in front of him she offered him one along with a bright smile.

"Cooled off, have we?" Jasyn taunted, still elated by the fact that she was jealous of another woman's attention to him.

"I don't know what you mean," She replied lightly and sipped her drink.

"Yeah right," Jasyn scoffed smiling down at her, "how're you enjoying yourself?"

"I'm having a great time," Emily said then jumped as a loud voice behind her shouted joyfully.

"Look Akri! Food!"

Jasyn chuckled when Emily turned to watch the demon Simi tackle people to get to the food table; she seized a cauldron of sweets and began shoving fistfuls in her mouth.

"Jesus," Emily breathed watching her with awe and Jasyn laughed, he leant his head down so he could speak in her ear.

"Not really, babe, she's more of a demon."

"Seriously?" Emily eyes went wide and she stared at Simi then back at Jasyn, then back at Simi again.

"And what has she come as?"

"Herself," Jasyn shrugged nonchalantly, "trust me, you can't get a lot weirder."

Acheron sauntered gracefully behind her with his new bride Tory tucked into his side, Jasyn tipped his drink to Ash who nodded in return, then he counted down.

"Three, two -"

"What are you doing?" Emily asked nonplussed, Jasyn held up a finger to silence her.

" … One."

The opening music to 'Sweet Home Alabama' blared from the speakers and there was a quiet rush of people towards the door, Emily again looked confused.

"Explain it to me later," she muttered shaking her head at the antics of the bar, she grabbed Jasyn's hand and tugged.

"What?" Jasyn said allowing himself to be led, it felt nicer then having to fight her all the time.

"Dance with me?" she asked sweetly, Jasyn bulked and immediately tried to go back to the corner he'd just left.

"Oh please, Jasyn!" Emily pleaded, "this is a great song!"

"I don't dance," Jasyn said with finality and Emily pouted, it made him want to lean down and capture her full bottom lip between his teeth. Emily saw the change in his eyes and tilted her head up, waiting with bated breath to see what he would do. A part of her wanted to throw herself at him crying "take me!" But she realised that with Jasyn's pride and prejudice he would have to come to her. Emily lost her will to breathe when she felt his hand snake about her waist and snap her sharply up against his body. She found herself all of a sudden so close to him and for reasons unfathomable an overwhelming shyness stole over her; she could not meet his emerald gaze.

"Emily …" Jasyn breathed in her ear, in her mind. Emily found her arms working their way up his arms to hang on desperately to his shoulders. He said her name again and this time his lips brushed the shell of her ear, captured it for a millisecond between them and then released. Emily dug her nails into his shoulders, scoring his skin through his shirt; she lifted her head and met his piercing gaze. Jasyn gave her no time to speak, he simply lowered his head and took her mouth with his own, her lips yielded instantly and she opened her mouth willingly, letting his tongue sweep inside. Jasyn cupped the back of her head in his big palm and refused to let her go, her soft, fragrant hair curling around his fingers, as if she didn't want him to let her go either. The over riding passion in his kiss belied the fear pounding through his heart, the fear that he was kissing her and people were looking, the fear that she was in danger from his attentions, that someone would use her to retaliate against him. So much fear! But the other feelings were there, the lust and passion … and the tenderness, he felt like it was killing him. Jasyn pulled himself from her and let his head hang, he still had hold of her arms and Emily wasn't sure if her were holding her away from him or to him.

"I shouldn't have done that," Jasyn whispered breathlessly, he closed his eyes as if pained when he felt her delicate fingers touching his cheek to get him to raise his head. Her fore finger stroked over his lip and he couldn't help himself, he kissed at it, Jasyn tightened his hands and pulled her closer but kept his head down. His attention riveted on her pretty hands, she held still as his mouth wandered over her palm and kissed at her wrist, her fingers, sucked one into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it. Emily gasped, she felt like he was making love to her through her hand, saying all that he wanted to say through those actions.

Please God, Emily thought wildly, don't let me be imagining these feelings! Let what I think he's feeling for me be real!

Jasyn pulled her finger from his mouth and held her hands to his temples; the insistent pounding pulse there was the only indication of his internal struggle.

"I shouldn't have done that," Jasyn repeated, he abruptly drew himself away from her a step or two, letting her hands go, he did not meet her eyes but stared instead at her shoulder. Her pretty, soft, bare shoulder …

"I know," Emily replied softly, her eyes tormented before she lowered her lashes and concealed her expression. Jasyn wanted to curse her - no, not her. He cursed himself and the Fates, this devastating attraction between them was killing them both, it was hurting them both and Jasyn didn't know how to amend it. Emily backed away clearing her throat briskly, her eyes when she looked at him were solemn but not sad.

"I know, Jasyn," she said again, "let's just forget that it happened and try and enjoy the rest of the night."

"You think that's possible?" Jasyn asked contemptuously, his groin felt heavy and painful.

"Yes, yes, I think it is," Emily said in a no nonsense way that had Jasyn scrutinising her closely, she had locked all emotion away under a tight shield. "We're attracted to each other, it happens all the time to people who just forget about it and move on. Eventually I'm going to leave here and as explosive and unbearable as its been at times - not to mention frightening, very frightening," Emily gave him a wry smile and Jasyn returned it with a reluctant one. "But when I go you will be part of my best memories from here, and I don't want that to change."

Jasyn felt his throat tighten as he stared at her, amazed anyone could feel that way about him. He was a nasty person that took delight in seeing other people fail, he laughed at misfortune and as ashamed as he was of the truth of himself at the very moment, when something bad happened all he ever thought was better them then him. Yet here this woman stood before him telling him she could look back on him with fondness in her mind, a woman who would gladly go with him upstairs and take him into her body because she liked him, a person who, for all her bluster and threats, had forgiven him for the unforgivable. He'd threatened her, scared and shouted at her, not to mention physically hurting her, getting her hurt and trying to kill her. Yet Jasyn was sure that he could feel the affection she had for him with every look she gave him, he was sure he was not imagining it. And in truth it was that fact which was causing his heart to ache all the more, because he really liked her too.

"I -" Jasyn paused, he wasn't sure how to put what he was feeling into words, he'd never needed to before, he'd never felt like this before. "I will cherish those memories of you."

Emily felt her lip tremble but manfully sucked it up and gave him her great smile that normally made him feel dazed, this time her beauty made him feel terrible. Their conversation just now was as close as they would ever come to admitting what was between them and how they felt, in actual fact it felt like a goodbye to Emily.

Suddenly Colt struck the chords on his guitar for the Guns N Roses song 'Don't Cry' and Emily groaned, she and Jasyn locked gazes and even he looked stricken by the choice of song, the music alone could reduce her to tears. The music abruptly stopped and there was a lovely sing song voice shouting over the chorus of boos.

"Too sad!" Simi was up on stage arguing with Angel and Colt, "it makes people want to cry! About don't cry! Everybody wants to DANCE!"

The juke box suddenly began to play Pussycat Dolls 'When I Grow Up', Simi began to dance her way off stage.

"Oh, Dear God," Jasyn said, a trace of panic in his toneless voice.

"What?" Emily asked with the feeling she was missing something, Jasyn took her hand and with an expression reserved for those facing imminent, agonising death, he led her to the dance floor.

"You dance to Pussycat Dolls?" Emily gaped at him, then shrieked with laughter.

"That's not at all damaging to my masculine ego," Jasyn sniped, his brows furrowed darkly. Emily cackled worse then ever, but stopped when she realised other surly guys like Justin, Damien and even Remi were heading for the floor.

"When Simi says dance, everyone dances," Jasyn said disgustedly, he began to move in a thoroughly unenthusiastic and disjointed way. Though he was by no means the worst dancer, some merely stood in the middle of the dance floor with their arms folded across their broad chests. Dev came past swinging Sera about, not at all in time with the music.

"Oh my days, you're a bad dancer, Jasyn!" Dev shouted over the blaring music, Jasyn looked like he was about to go after the bear.

"Your two left feet aren't so hot either, bear!" Emily shouted back when she saw Sera wince as Dev stepped on her foot.

"Oh come here!" Emily chuckled, feeling terribly sorry for Jasyn, she moved closer and put his hands on her hips, "Just remember to move your feet, and - Oh, forget it! Just move with me!"

Emily began working her hips and feet in time with the music, she put her hand on the small of Jasyn's back to get his hips working in sync with hers.

"Don't take yourself too seriously, Jasyn," she shouted over the music, but he wasn't listening, across he's cheeks were two slashes of crimson and his eyes were glowing in his skull. It was then that Emily felt his erection brush her hip as they moved together; she jumped back as if scalded.

"I'm sorry," she hissed, looking contrite, Jasyn shook his head and put distance between their bodies.

"It's okay," Jasyn said hoarsely, "perhaps we should … erm?"

"Sit this one out?" Emily suggested.

"If Simi will let us."

"Just this once, Hawk!" Acheron shouted joyfully as he spun Tory around unnaturally fast.

Jasyn needed to put distance between himself and Emily, he had gotten so turned on by her on the dance floor that a few more minutes and he may have threw her to the floor, uncaring of who was looking. As sneaky as Emily could be when she wanted something, such as her cunning with bargaining for the tape, when it came to friends or people she cared about she was somewhat guileless. Did she realise that if she wanted to break him all she would have had to do would be to ask him to make love to her? Jasyn knew he didn't have the strength to deny her or himself something that he so desperately wanted.

"I'll get us some drinks," he muttered and zoomed away to the bar, Emily placed herself back at the door Jasyn was meant to be guarding. She turned so she could use the ornate brass door handle as a mirror, she finger combed her hair and fanned herself to get the blush to fade from her cheeks. At least her make-up wasn't running yet, thank the lord!

"Emily?"

Emily turned and gaped, "Oh, E-Edward, hey."


	13. Chapter 13

Edward's typically handsome face split into a wide grin tinged with mockery, although Emily straightened her spine and faced him defiantly she felt herself shrivel inside. She wanted desperately to cover herself with her hands, of all the times he had to see her it was while she was in this ridiculous outfit.

"How the hell are you, Emz?" Edward said with a chuckle in his voice that Emily didn't know whether to attribute to his surprise at seeing her or to him just being condescending.

"Emily," she corrected coldly, "and I'm wonderful."

Ordinarily Emily would ask how he'd been but considering he had cheated on her and left her, she didn't really care whether or not he'd just wandered into the bar after a near death experience … okay, so that wasn't entirely true. If he'd just had a near death experience of course Emily would care, but she would also laugh. What? It's not like the guy died or anything!

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her face suggesting that she had a bad taste in her mouth. Edward shrugged in a self-satisfied way and sighed as he leant casually against the bar, he passed a rather superior look at the people around him, it was apparent that they did not meet his approval.

"You know how it is at the office, Emily," he said carelessly, "I had to come down here to close a major deal."

Emily nodded absently, looking around for an escape or for someone to come rescue her.

"I saw your show by the way," Edward commented lightly and Emily snapped her eyes back to him.

"Really," Emily murmured.

"It's … good," he said with that irritating smile on his face, the one he always used when he was making fun of her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emily said through gritted teeth and Edward shrugged, with a look of innocent surprise meant to abash her, this was almost always how their arguments used to start when they were a couple.

"Nothing," Edward said, "I was never like you, Nature was never my hobby."

"Well, it wasn't mine, either, it was my career!" Emily said snappishly, Edward sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward as if to say 'here we go again', which in turn fanned Emily's flame.

"I realise you and I didn't part on the best of terms, Emily," Edward said, his voice said he was broaching the subject cautiously.

"Well, we didn't part, you left," Emily said coldly and they descended into a tense silence.

It was then that Emily realised she was acting like the shrewish, bitter ex-girlfriend that she wasn't, admittedly she had been, for a while too. But no longer, not since Jasyn, that man's touch had wiped all vestige of her former feelings for Edward away. Her feelings about Edward sprung from hurt pride and humiliation but she no longer wanted or desired him and she hadn't for a long time.

"Look, Edward, I don't want to argue," Emily said with a resigned sigh, and she even managed to smile at him. "Whatever happened has happened, nothing will change it. And to be honest we were never going to last, breaking up was probably the best thing for both of us."

Edward looked taken aback by her sudden change of heart, he nodded and they were silent for a while, with Emily trying to voice that she was now going to leave for the ladies room.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way," Edward said suddenly, "it was a shock to me when we first got together, you know?"

Emily stiffened, "pardon?"

"Well, you know, we were from completely different backgrounds, studying different things …"

Emily raised her eyebrow, if he was about to say what she thought he was getting at, she would actually kill him.

"You were never the type of girl that I looked for," Edward sipped his drink, completely oblivious to the insult he'd just given to Emily. He looked up and beamed holding his arm out to a tall, classy looking red head who sidled up to him and moulded herself to his side. She had a haughty look about her that said she thought she should get a humanitarian award for being in the same room with the people at the bar.

"Lesha, I was wondering where you got to," Edward said giving her a toothy grin, Emily wrinkled her nose with distaste. The woman flicked her hair back and gave a man who moved past her a disdainful glare, she wiped an imaginary smear of dirt from her arm before she spoke.

"Uck! The service in this place is diabolical," she whined contemptuously, "what kind of place have you brought me too, Eddy?"

Edward gave a hearty, affected laugh as if she had just told a fantastically funny joke, Emily had visions of feeding the pair to Remi, or better yet Mama Lo.

"Well, this is one of the busiest nights of the year for Sanctuary," Emily said loftily, "most of the people here have bought tickets to get in, in fact you're lucky you got in at all."

The woman looked at Emily coldly as if she were offended that Emily speak to her, her eyes raked Emily up and down and her lip curled slightly. Emily kicked up her chin defiantly though she could feel the beginnings of a blush colouring her face, Emily wanted nothing more then to transform into her hawk form and chase the pair from New Orleans.

"Oh, so sorry, Emily," Edward remarked carelessly, "Lesha, baby, this is Emily McLean. Emily this Lesha McIntyre, my business partner and …"

He looked at Lesha and smiled stupidly, she giggled stupidly and tapped at his shoulder as a way of reprimand, as if they were sharing a secret.

"Lesha isn't used to places like this," Edward said to Emily in an affected whisper, "we're slumming it, you see!"

* * *

Jasyn had gathered himself together enough to return to Emily, his body was still tingling but he'd gotten a hold of himself and was able to go back to her without looking like a fool. With a cup held in each hand he pushed and barged his way back through the crowd, he'd almost reached the corner of the bar where Emily and he had been standing when he halted. Jasyn saw her standing there with a foppish man and a red headed woman, who may have been pretty if she didn't look like she were smelling something foul. Even with the distance between them Jasyn could sense a severe dislike coming from Emily towards these people, he could feel her self-consciousness and discomfort. She was also extremely angry at them, so much so that a few more words could have brought tears of rage to her eyes. Jasyn marched determinedly back to her side, his head bent with a look of determination of his face as though scanning for prey.

When he was behind the couple he cleared his throat pointedly.

The guy threw a irritated look over his shoulder, upon seeing Jasyn he immediately pulled back from his girlfriend and allowed Jasyn to pass. Emily's happiness at seeing Jasyn was tangible, with his back still turned to the pair Jasyn gave her a silent look that asked if she were alright, with grateful eyes she nodded.

Jasyn handed her a cup and turned to see the woman eyeing him like she was about to offer herself to him on a plate. The guy on the other hand didn't like him, Jasyn could sense that he felt threatened by him and he was suspicious too. This did not bother Jasyn because he didn't care who liked him, and on closer inspection Jasyn found that he didn't like the way the guy was looking at Emily. Jasyn snaked his arm around Emily's waist and dragged her back to his front, pungent jealousy flared from the guy and Jasyn passed him a wicked grin.

"Jasyn, this is Edward Leech," Emily introduced them politely, her hand resting comfortably on top of Jasyn's, "we used to date once upon a time."

Emily noted with pleasure that Edward frowned, she understood why. There relationship had progressed far beyond dating, they had been living together and were talking marriage, they even shared a car for Christ sakes!

"We did a bit more then date, Emily," Edward corrected her with a bite in his voice that earned him a scathing glare from Lesha and Jasyn.

"Edward, this is Jasyn. He's … um ?" Emily looked up at Jasyn but Jasyn was to busy giving Edward some serious eyeballing.

"I'm her boyfriend," Jasyn rumbled, not one syllable of his statement had promoted friendship and Edward sensed it, Emily patted Jasyn's hand in an attempt to get him to calm down.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Emily laughed airily, "I totally forgot you, Lesha. Jasyn, this is Edward's girlfriend, Lesha McIntyre, was it?"

"Yes," Lesha said, giving Jasyn a dazzling smile and the shadow of a wink, Emily narrowed her eyes, "and Edward and I aren't dating, you were mistaken."

Jasyn did not react to her words and kept silent, he sipped his beer and watched Edward looking from him to Emily.

"Do you still see much of Jay and Aaron, Emz," Edward said confidently, as if trying to prove that he knew much more about her life then Jasyn did.

"Emily," she corrected again, "and yes, we work together on my show. Jasyn met them briefly on the set in Bulgaria. Jasyn loves Bulgaria, don't you honey?"

Emily leant her head back and looked into Jasyn's eyes which were twinkling with amusement, there was a ironic twist to his lips when he spoke.

"Yeah, _killer _scenery."

"To die for."

It was Emily and Jasyn's turn to exchange a secret look, Emily felt Edward's jealousy and anger grow. As smug as she was feeling, Emily felt surprised to find that she was more interested in the humour shining in Jasyn's eyes.

"He also met Quassim. You remember him, Edward?"

"Yes," Edward muttered with barely concealed irritation, "how did you find him?"

"Perceptive, acerbic and smart," Jasyn replied, "my kind of guy."

His voice was so monotone and Edward's face so irritated and unsettled that Emily let out a giggle, she stroked Jasyn's hand with her thumb to show her thanks, in response he tightened his arm.

"Edward, didn't ever get on with Quassim," Emily explained with pleasure, "Quassim was a little too perceptive in his assessment of Edward."

"Really?" Jasyn commented with malicious delight, "what was his assessment?"

"I don't think we need to -" Edward sputtered red-faced.

"He likened him to an orifice on the human body reserved for the process of talking shit."

Jasyn's quiet laughter rumbled up from his chest making him vibrate against Emily's back, all of a sudden Emily didn't care quite so much about the revenge she was wrecking on Edward, she wanted him gone.

"Well, he let you go," Jasyn commented lightly, "probably an accurate assessment."

Emily wanted to grab Jasyn and kiss him senseless.

"Now see here!" Edward said, straightening up and taking a step forward. Jasyn stepped to Emily's side with a growl, Emily put her hand on his arm knowing that should Jasyn want to go at Edward there wasn't much she could do to stop him. Edward's face lost colour and so did Lesha's, Jasyn had sounded like a savage animal and his eyes were too intense and bright to be human.

"I think we better be going, Lesha," Edward muttered quickly and hurried her to the door, Emily watched them leave, she blew Lesha a sarcastic kiss when the woman looked back over her shoulder at Jasyn.

She turned her gaze to Jasyn with a mischievous grin, he had a wicked smirk on his face that was making him look good enough to eat. She touched his forearm, Jasyn jerked and looked down at her hand.

"Thank you."

"Was that -?" Jasyn let the question hang.

"The one that left me with a broken heart?" Emily gave a wry grin, "yep that was him. Only the heart was bruised, never broken."

Jasyn's eyes softened, "I'm glad," he murmured, his eyes hot on Emily's skin.

"I always knew I had quite a vindictive streak in me," Emily informed him happily, making Jasyn laugh, "I rather enjoyed it actually. I bet you give him an inferiority complex for life!"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on!" Emily giggled, "did you see the way he was looking at you? I bet he gets home and starts pumping weights and steroids. He was like Jane next to your Tarzan!"

Emily bit her lip and blushed when she realised what she had inadvertently admitted, Jasyn felt like beating at his chest in triumph.

"Oh, damn!" Emily said suddenly, "look what the stupid idiot has done."

Jasyn watched her pick up a brown leather, bulging wallet, Jasyn whistled and took it from her and starting checking out the roll he had in there.

"That much money and he couldn't even take poor Lesha to a restaurant!" Emily said outraged, "I don't know why I'm surprised, I always had to go halves on the bill whenever we went out!"

Jasyn chuckled and handed it back to her.

"I better try and give it back to him, he can't have gone that far."

"Why bother?" Jasyn asked frowning, "why should you do anything good for him? Unless you still have feelings for him?"

Emily snorted out a laugh at the absurdity of the statement, and what Jasyn might say if he knew his presence completely eclipsed Edward in everyway for her.

"Hardly," she scoffed and Jasyn felt a lightness in his heart, "besides it worked out for the best."

"How so?"

"Well, if he hadn't left me I might never have met you. And wouldn't that just be a shame?" Emily teased before turning on her heel and walked towards the door, her hips and ass swishing like well oiled machines.

She turned at the door and their eye locked over the people and the dance floor, through the lights and the smoke. Jasyn's felt heat pulse through his body, his groin turned to steel, he'd never felt the urge to mate so strongly since puberty. Then she disappeared into the night and Jasyn felt his breath catch, his mind suddenly sucked into an void of broken, terrifying prospects. What would he do when she left? Would she look at him as she had just done before disappearing out the door and leaving him to his life? What life? Of being alone and lonely forever, a life of being forever unfeeling and in the dark? Jasyn could not bring himself to accept that soon she would be gone, back to her life of friends and happiness. Had he expected her to stay and go on the way they had been? Had he expected her to stay at Sanctuary with him and all the rest of the outcasts and the unwelcome, suffering the sexual heat between them, wanting him and knowing he wanted her but unable to act upon it? Why would she when there were males out there, human and Were, that could offer her so much more?

Jasyn inhaled with a rasping sound and wondered whether or not he'd heard himself sob, he could actually believe it with how bad he felt. No one would believe it but Jasyn found it rather hard to go back to being dead now he'd had a taste of living, no one would believe it but Jasyn rather liked having Emily to care about. And it was true that he did care about her very much, so much that he couldn't quite contemplate a life where he never had another rather deep, albeit sarcastic, conversation with her. It would be so strange once she left, to everyone else she would simply be another drifter, just passing through those ever swinging doors of Sanctuary. But it would be so much more for Jasyn, for him she wasn't some broken down, bitter woman fresh from losing her clan to the slaughter of the war. She wasn't a vicious killer in the guise of a femme fatale hoping to assassinate her prey. Or some bitch on heat, perpetually looking for someone to indulge with her in the extremes of depravity because she had lived so long all walks of life had lost meaning for her. She was this amazing young fledgling who had just lost control over her entire life and thrust into a world she didn't know, and was doing it all with a smile on her face and a sarcastic wink. He'd seen her laugh until she'd cried and cry until she'd laughed, seen her angry, hurt, happy and scared. But the point was … she could feel all those things, and she thought nothing of showing such emotion in a world where the beings guard themselves so closely. Jasyn siphoned those feelings from her like a friggin' vampire, he revelled in her emotions and then the ones she in turn produced in him.

One night was all he wanted then … then he would let her go. After one night of being with her Jasyn promise himself he would let her go. With that thought in mind he moved towards the door, so fast was he that the human eye could not trace him as anything more then a blur.

* * *

Jasyn stepped out into the October air and his eyes immediately focused on Emily in the dark, she had her back to him and was standing there like the fairy she was meant to be, as if waiting for her magical kin to find her. Jasyn was about to open his mouth to call her name when he saw a shadow move, she was staring right at, Jasyn felt his blood freeze in his veins: Arion!

Flashing himself to her side Jasyn let out a screech of outrage and fury, his menacing green eyes gleaming with the promise of violence. Arion took a step back with his own fierce squawk, but he did not turn to leave, he held his hand out and stared desperately at Emily.

"Come with me now, Emily!" he cried urgently, he thrust his hand at her, "come with me now before its too late!"

Emily turned fearful eyes on Jasyn who pushed her behind him and held her there, Jasyn wanted to rip Arion's heart from his chest. There previous battles and meetings felt like a game in comparison to what Jasyn was feeling now. Jasyn took a vicious swipe at Arion's outstretched hand, his human hand rapidly changing to sharp talons to cause maximum damage, Arion drew back with a hiss.

"I'll protect you from him, Emily," Arion said seriously, "all you need to know, all you need to learn I will teach you. Just don't allow him to poison your mind!"

Jasyn felt Emily's small hands curl around his strong bicep and hold on to him, primal instincts older then time itself reared their magnificent head in Jasyn's chest. The innate animalistic nature demanded that he protect her like he would the very flesh on his body. The impulse demanded that he fight to survive ordained that he would fight to ensure her survival at all costs. Anyone who threatened that survival, even by method of taking her away from him would come under the merciless nature of his inner beast. Jasyn was Katagari and no man on this earth would take Emily without having to fight Jasyn first, and even then they'd have to kill him. Arion narrowed his eyes on her hands clinging to Jasyn and shook his head regretfully.

"Fine," he said, "but just remember what I told you."

Arion flashed himself out of New Orleans, usually Jasyn's first instinct would be to go after him and tear him limb from limb but that instinct was stunted by the protective one that needed to see Emily safe. He turned and caught her in his arms, flashing them both inside Emily's room, when they were there, Jasyn held her at arms length and let his eyes run over her.

"Why didn't you call to me?" he demanded to know, he gave her a slight shake, a frown creased Emily's brow as she spoke.

"I was going to at first but he just started talking to me and," Emily paused and gave Jasyn an odd look, "telling me things."

Jasyn did not outwardly react to the look but he let her arms go and went to the window to shy away from it under the pretence of checking the lock and pulling the drapes.

"He said you were a killer, Jasyn," she said her voice low and soft yet utterly clear, Jasyn turned to her frowning darkly.

"That you know," he replied sharply and Emily nodded.

"I told him that," Emily said quick with another question, "he said you were a child-killer, Jasyn?"

Jasyn closed his eyes as if pained, when he opened them they were two bright orbs of light, they stared fixedly at her, unblinking.

"It isn't true, is it?" Emily gasped, tears trembling in her voice.

"What do you think?" his voice rumbled through the darkness, taking on a sinister edge it had never had before.

"I think …" Emily said slowly, "that you are capable of anything."

"Good!" he sneered, "because you're right, I am!"

"Even murdering a child?"

Emily felt her stomach lurch at the thought and put her hand over it to try and instil some calm into it.

"It wasn't like that," Jasyn said in that monotone of his, "it wasn't like that at all."

"What about my family?" Emily demanded to know, her eyes flashing fire now, Jasyn looked up from his deep thoughts and seemed confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Arion said that you went from city to city, town to town, village to village wrecking terror and destruction. Thousands of innocent Arcadian families slaughtered under you, that you spill blood for fun. Could you have murdered my family?"

Jasyn laughed with disbelief, "what do you believe, Emily?"

"Well, you just said you were capable of anything!"

"Is there any point of defending myself when you've convicted me already?"

"That's not fair!" Emily hissed at him and Jasyn laughed mirthlessly again.

"You're so sure of my guilt you're even convincing me of it!"

"I'm only asking whether it is possible that you could have killed my family!"

"If what Arion told you was true, and I am this mass murderer of women and children," Emily winced when Jasyn barked the words at her, "who's to say that your family are even dead? They could have just abandoned you."

Emily looked stricken and Jasyn rubbed his brow tiredly, he hadn't meant to say it so starkly.

"Emily, I -"

Emily marched up to his and shoved at him with the flat of her hands, it was a mild shove really and Jasyn didn't even move. Then to his greatest shock Emily flung her arms around his neck and held on to him so tight he felt his neck crick.

"You're all I've got, Jasyn," she whispered into his neck, her breath hot and moist there, but it could also have been a combination of her tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She chanted it endlessly while never losing her death grip on him, Jasyn held her back just as tightly more out of instinct then of actually knowing anything about comforting someone. Finally he picked her up in his arms and took her to the bed where he sat with her and allowed her to sob until she was too tired to sob anymore.

"I'm sorry," she whispered when her tears had slowed and were drying on her face, "I know - y-you wouldn't - do that!"

Jasyn held her hair back from her forehead and said nothing while the storm of emotion ended, she finally scrubbed her hands over her face and stared down at her hands that were twisting nervously in her lap.

"Have I completely grossed you out yet?" Emily joked feebly, "or would a few more sobs and sniffs do it?"

Jasyn said nothing, Emily blew out a deep breath.

"You must think I'm a total weakling," she muttered regretfully, Jasyn shook his head then realised that she wasn't looking at him.

"No."

"You don't have to lie, Jasyn."

"I'm not."

Emily looked at the clock on her bedside table, she turned to him, still not meeting his gaze.

"I guess I should sleep off the aftermath of a crying jag, eh?"

"Yes," Jasyn agreed solemnly, "you need to rest."

Jasyn stroked his hand down her hair, gave her shoulder a squeeze then stood up and made for the door, he stopped and turned when she said his name. He stared at her playing nervously with the threading in the quilt, her eyes and nose were red and her hair was mussed.

"Can we talk tomorrow?" she asked quietly, hopefully.

"I think that would be best, don't you?" Jasyn said so kindly that the lump in Emily's throat turned painful, she nodded unable to speak and Jasyn took his leave.


	14. Chapter 14

Emily didn't get a chance to talk to Jasyn about the night with Arion for several days after, on account of Sanctuary being in uproar. Due to her time being spent mainly with Jasyn who led a very solitary existence even at a boisterous place like Sanctuary, Emily was not always aware of things that were going on in the household until the whole of Sanctuary were affected by them. The bears were in a bit of a huff anyway because of something to do with Aimee but they were all pretty tight lipped about it. Margie mentioned that Aimee had fallen in love with a wolf named Fang whom her parents disapproved of; Emily thought it was a case of extreme double standards going on considering that the unmated male members of the bear clan were shacking up with different, unscrupulous woman every night of the week. Also all hands were now on deck because of a large clan of Katagari tigers had arrived seeking sanctuary after barely surviving an attack by Arcadian sentinels. Emily, being trained in basic first aid for human and animals, worked closely with Margie and Carson trying to help the wounded.

"Damn it!" Carson cursed, his hands buried deep inside a pregnant tiger he was performing a caesarean on while Margie concentrated on trying stem the blood flow from a wound in her back. Emily watched threw the pane of glass in the other smaller section of the surgery where she was treating cuts and bruises and stitching minor wounds. The obvious amount of pain the female was in was very distressing to Emily who had never been able to cope with the trauma of childbirth. Emily bent her head and focused on the task at hand, she was bandaging the broken paw of a tiger cub, Emily had worked with tigers before and knew that being small did not stop the cubs from biting when in pain. This cub was too frightened to even bite her or scratch her; Emily wanted to cry as it shook with fear. She cut the bandage and secured it then picked the cub up in the towel she had wrapped it in; Emily lowered it into a little box that she'd lined with blankets. At the moment they were in so much chaos that no one had informed her of the cub's parents, their whereabouts or if the cub had any relation amongst the adult tigers at all. Emily had tried to communicate with it through her telepathy but found the cub far too traumatised to speak.

As efficient as Carson was he's inability to keep proper records and data meant that at times of great confusion such as this he lost track of what he was meant to be doing. Emily had stopped him from trying to treat the same tiger three times, it seemed even Were men had difficulty with multi-tasking, for Margie had no trouble keeping track of who she had treated and who needed treatment. To make things easier on everyone Emily had begun to label the patients, names and numbers had been written on their casts and bandages or stuck on their beds. Always a stickler for organisation, Emily had gone so far as to record those names and numbers on file and what they were treated for and by whom.

"No!" Carson shouted, "No, no, no, no!"

The beeping from the monitor the tiger was hooked up to slowed down then flat lined, try as they might the combined efforts of two dedicated individuals could not bring the mother back. Emily moved into the room and went to relieve Margie of the cubs; Margie gave her a grateful look then moved back to the gurney and covered the mama tiger with a sheet. Emily swallowed the bile in her throat, there was so much red all around, not just from the tiger on the gurney but others that had been there that day, some had lived and others, like this female, had died. Carson was snapping his bloodied gloves off and throwing them from him, suppressed rage was so near the surface that it looked like one careless word could have him bringing the house down. The doctor hawk prowled around the surgery as if looking for something to vent on, Margie kept her head down and focused on the clearing up. She'd obviously come into contact with this side of Carson before, the frustrated doctor, the compassionate nature that caused him so much pain. Emily rubbed the afterbirth from the cubs, she made sure their airways were clear and tucked them together in warm blankets.

"We need milk for them," she said, glancing at Carson then at Margie when she got no joy from him.

"I'll see what I can do," Margie said nodding, "their may even be a mother in here somewhere whose still expressing."

She left the room, taking the bloodied trash with her; Emily looked over at Carson who looked terrible.

"Are you okay, Carson?" Emily whispered, the surgery was quiet now, as if out of respect for the deceased, any sound louder then that seemed a violation of the respect for the dead.

"Do I look okay, Emily?" Carson said with a slight bite in his voice, he wasn't looking at her. He was taking off his apron and had started to wash his hands.

"Well, it would be a lie if I said you looked great," Emily murmured tonelessly, Carson glared at her through the mirror above the sink where he scrubbed down.

"You think that's funny?" he accused fiercely, his eyes furious and black; Emily blinked and looked at him.

"Huh?" she said confused.

"A joke like that? At a time like this?" he growled, snapping paper towels from the machine on the wall, Emily frowned.

"I didn't make a joke," Emily said warily, the guy actually looked a little crazy. He scared her far more then Jasyn would if he were in such a mood. Perhaps it was because until recently Jasyn had always been in that type of mood, and Carson was always placid and kind.

"When Margie comes back I'll give you guys a hand moving the body," Emily said quietly, trying to change the subject from her apparent attempt at humour. Had there not been the body of a mother lying on the table between them and her orphaned cubs in the room, Emily would have given Carson a piece of her mind, for she had never found anything less humourless in her life.

"No," Carson objected abruptly, "I'll do it. She died on my operating table, I'll do it …"

There was a pause and a tense silence filled the room, Emily swallowed before speaking again.

"You did all you could, Carson," she consoled kindly, looking at him with pity in her eyes.

"I wouldn't have had to do 'all I could' if it hadn't been for -" Carson bit his lip and turned his back on her, his voice had been so full of rage.

"Hadn't been for what, Carson?" Emily demanded, a chill in her voice as she spoke to him now. Carson whipped around to face her, his eyes mad with anger and pain.

"Arcadians!" he snarled, "there. Happy? Arcadians, humans, your kind!"

Emily was used to Jasyn giving her the 'our kind your kind' speech but she'd never expected it from Carson and it took her aback.

"Your people did this!" Carson cried, "This is what you come from. A race of murderers! A race of villains and heartless executioners!"

"How dare you!" Emily hissed, "For your information I do not have a kind! How dare you think you can categorise me in the same box as a bunch of merciless butchers because of my parentage! How dare you think to blame me for the actions of another person because we come from the same race! How backward are you that you would think that?"

Margie walked back into the room with bottles of milk in her hands and Dev was beside her, Emily shoved past both of them.

"If he wants anymore help from me tell him he can go fuck himself!" Emily cried jerkily over her shoulder and went to her room. She slammed the door so hard that had someone been standing with their fingers on the jamb they would have lost them. Too angry to cry, Emily just paced the length of her room at a march trying to shake the sudden adrenaline surge from her body. Her limbs were trembling with anger; her heart was such a mix of deeply distressing emotions and her mind awash with disturbing thoughts. Emily hated being judged and disliked for things that weren't her fault or of her doing. She didn't cause these atrocities to happen and though she didn't like that the race she was from were known for committing such crimes, Emily didn't carry a sense of shame or disgrace. She was indignant to think that people would expect her to! Emily didn't feel a specific connection to her Arcadian heritage, she felt like she was lost somewhere in between the two races, or more like between the two species: the Were-Hunter world and the human one. And the fact was Emily knew that there were good Arcadians out there, she knew for instance that Dev and Papa bear were Arcadian. She hadn't said it to anyone because both bears hid their scent pretty well and all the other Weres could not sense it but Emily could smell in them that same gene which she associated with herself. She hated that it was like some shameful secret, like a birth defect that you had to be ashamed of. That to be accepted and respected you have to be Katagaria in this place. You could not simply be a Were-Hunter who couldn't care less about genetics but focused on merit. Under all this indignation Emily was so full of fear and pain. She could not believe that one person could do this to another. Emily could not believe that a species so extraordinary and in possession of knowledge far beyond that of the human race could not overcome this war between them, could not move out of the era of blood debts and honour battles. That they could not at least acknowledge the futility and stupidity of the war, and recognise that if the Fates had caused this hatred between them, that they with their free will had the power to put a stop to it. Surely for the sake of their children and cubs they would want to try?

There was a knock on her bedroom door, Emily answered and wasn't all that surprised to see Dev there, obviously if an argument is going on in his family home he's going to want to know what it was all about. He gave her a friendly, commiserating smile that Emily didn't return, he gestured with his head before he spoke.

"Can I come in?" he asked politely.

"It's your house," Emily muttered tersely before wandering back to her bed and sitting on it, Dev followed her in with a small chuckle and closed the door.

"It's your room," he countered.

"No it isn't," Emily stated definitely, Dev gave her a sad look.

"Carson feels terrible about you two arguing."

"Good," Emily said balefully, Dev winced slightly, realising this might not be as easy as he'd originally thought. Emily might be a nice girl but even she admitted she had a vindictive streak.

"He's very sorry about it."

"So he should be," Emily sniffed not the least bit apologetic herself. Dev eased himself down on the bed beside her and angled himself towards her, resting his hands on his jeans clad knees.

"You see the thing between Katagari and Arcadians -" Dev begun but Emily cursed crudely.

"I am so sick of this bullshit!" Emily shouted as she flew from the bed and marched across the room; she whipped the door open then stood there with the door held in one hand looking at Dev.

"What is it with you people?" she yelled, "why can't the lot of you grow up and take some fucking responsibility!"

Unbeknown to Emily, people had begun to poke their heads from their own rooms and from downstairs to hear her rant.

"Arcadian this, Katagari that! I am sick of you thinking that I will stand there and take all this shit people are giving me because … what? They're mad at people I share a fraction of my genetic code with?"

Dev winced at how trivial and immature she made the whole thing sound.

"It's more complicated then that! You've got to understand -"

"I don't have to understand anything!" Emily hollered so loudly her throat hurt, "Because I understand you all perfectly and have uncomplicated this situation for you. Your lives are long and boring and meaningless! You are consumed with and consist of nothing more then hate! What have you to show for the centuries that you've been alive? What do you do when you're not working, when you're not fucking around looking for your mates or when you finally get your mates for that matter? I see absolutely no joy in any of your way of life. Your entire existence on this earth is mapped out by fate, the people you love and the people you hate. My God, humans may be cruel and selfish but at least we celebrate our free will. Most countries laws are based on the fact that we have free will and are responsible for our individual actions!"

"The Katagaria have suffered more then you will ever know because of Arcadians," Dev shouted back at her, standing up.

"And is that my problem?" Emily screamed, "Is that what you live for? To hate someone for something they had no idea existed? You are all sheep! Mindless, dull, stupid sheep! No wonder the Were-Hunter race is on the brink of extinction when you have sheep too stupid to realise that they are killing themselves."

Emily stamped into the hallway and Dev followed her, both red in the face and furious, she turned to him.

"I mean, come on!" she said hoarsely, "is that really all you see when you look at me? An Arcadian? Because I see a woman and a were-hunter who has just spent half the day cleaning and stitching wounds of Katagaria tigers and comforting their young with pity in her heart. There was no animal and human divide. Simply humanity and compassion! It was everyone else that made it complicated."

Dev didn't say anything else and Emily desperately wanted him to, she wanted someone to explain to her so she could understand why it was so hard for them to see the bigger picture? She needed to know why they were letting fate rule their lives. Emily spun on her heel and stomped down the stairs, every landing she went passed stood were-hunters of every description staring at her. Stiffening her spine and sticking her chin in the air Emily refused to acknowledge them, she walked through to the bar, passed Remi. He didn't look up as she swished passed him but at the door Emily distinctly heard him speak.

"I'd be careful if I were you, lady hawk."

Emily huffed defiantly and moved into the street, she felt utterly wretched and miserable. Being a Were-Hunter had completely complicated her relatively simple life, she had thought it wondrous at the beginning but now she rather wished she were human again. The heavy barrage of accidents, insults, hatred and blame she'd experienced all because she was Arcadian was wearing her down now. A part of her was feeling stung by the inability of everyone to see past what she was to who she was, and she was rather indignant on behalf of the Arcadians who couldn't _always _have been the trouble makers. For God sake, the law of averages said that Katagaria had to be wrong on one occasion! Emily thought resentfully.

Emily didn't know New Orleans all that well, Jasyn had only ever taken her to the Bayou and since most people in Sanctuary were on the run, it wasn't like they relished taking a mid-day stroll out in the open. Especially not with her. After an hour or so her feet began to ache, she'd left Sanctuary without her purse and couldn't just go and sit in a café somewhere and brood. Emily stopped outside a doll shop and peered through the window at a cute, little old lady who was showing a little girl a pretty doll with a porcelain face.

"Hey."

Emily looked over her shoulder at Jasyn, he had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and was giving her a rather handsome smirk which was a tad to teasing to make it kind. Emily rolled her eyes, expecting him to tell her how out of line she was and how she was truly coming into her Arcadian own right now. Jasyn let out a defensive huff of a laugh and gave her a harmless, I'm-just-looking-at-you expression. She couldn't muster up any type of light-hearted play so she turned back to the window; the girl's mother was paying for the doll now. Jasyn came up silently by her side and gave her shoulder a comforting nudge with his own.

"Am I being thrown out of Sanctuary?" Emily sighed miserably; Jasyn rolled his eyes at her.

"Don't you ever listen to what I tell you things?" he snapped impatiently, "you can only incur a ban from Sanctuary if you violate the rules of house. Number one being you can't physically attack another person while in Sanctuary. Though I would like a few people thrown out for just being plain stupid. But luckily for you having a difference of opinion doesn't get you the boot."

Emily crossed her arms against the glass and buried her face in them, she moaned pitifully.

"New York, New York it's a wonderful town …" she sang tunelessly to herself, missing her lonely yet homely little apartment terribly.

The corner of Jasyn's mouth turned up, he looked inside the doll shop and saw that the little girl was now pointing at another doll that caught her eye.

"So are you here? Comforting yourself?" he teased, "thinking of buying yourself a doll to revive your childhood."

"I've never owned a doll or played with one," Emily said carelessly and pulled back from the glass, Jasyn wanted to bite his lip; he sometimes forgot that she hadn't had the ideal childhood. They began to walk with each other down the street, Jasyn wondered if she knew she was heading back to Sanctuary. He felt quite sorry for her, as much as he disliked Arcadians; Jasyn admitted that her time in New Orleans hadn't been easy. She'd had to learn things about their world that weren't pretty or nice, like how friends can turn on you. Jasyn had no love for the young doctor hawk and liked him even less now that he had hurt Emily. Emily suddenly turned to him as they crossed the mouth of an alley, her eyes were fiery and determined, her face set in stone.

"Jasyn, I want you to start teaching me how to control my magic," she said firmly, Jasyn nodded and said nothing.

"Like now," Emily prompted, "its imperative I learn as soon as possible."

"Emily," Jasyn hesitated. He didn't want to offend her but he didn't know how else to put into words her irritating need to be the best at something or accomplish things that were for the most part practically impossible for young Weres of her age to do. "There are some things that you just can't do at your age. Your magic needs time to mature before you can do some of the stuff that other Weres can."

"Well, I'm not like other Weres, Jasyn," she said impatiently, "and I don't have time to wait. I have a life in New York I have to get back to."

That was like a slap in the face for Jasyn, he didn't know why he felt the sting of her words so much but he did. The way she said it was as if she wanted to get as far away from all that she had seen and experienced in New Orleans, including him. After today was he still part of her best memories? Jasyn nodded without expression.

"Then we'll begin as soon as we return to Sanctuary," Jasyn said coldly and they walked along in silence.

Once they reached Sanctuary's doors Emily sighed, she unexpectedly gave Jasyn a painless punch on the arm, which had all the intimacy of a hug.

"Thanks for coming after me," she gave him a grateful smile, Jasyn inclined his head.

Jasyn walked Emily up to her room, just in case there were any vengeful Weres about that wanted try and ambush her on the stairs. On the landing just below hers Dev was standing there, they drew up short when they saw him and Jasyn sensed Emily's unease but to her credit she stood firm and defiant before him. Jasyn repressed his proud smile, she was learning.

Dev sighed when he saw her and then chuckled, unable to hold any type of grudge; he gave her a 'truce?' kind of look and Emily nodded.

"Lets just say we both had different versions of right," he proposed and Emily gave a reluctant smile.

"Sure," she amenably, "agree to disagree or what not?"

"Exactly!" Dev threw Jasyn a wink, "how good am I at smoothing ruffled feathers?"

Emily rolled her eyes making Dev laugh, "look, if you're not too pissed off, we could still use your help in the surgery."

Emily looked like she'd rather not but nodded; Dev inclined his head and left Jasyn and Emily on the landing.

"Well, I guess I'll head off to the surgery then," Emily muttered in a tone that suggested she'd be dragging her feet all the way there. Jasyn nodded and watched her head back down the stairs; he let her get out of sight before ascending to his own room.

* * *

Emily barely acknowledged Carson's presence when she returned to the surgery; she gave Margie a small smile and went to where she had left the tiger cub. As soon as she stepped into the smaller room the tiger's head rose over the lip of the box and its huge eyes looked at her hopefully. Emily put her head around the door and spoke directly to Margie, deliberately ignoring Carson.

"Has this cub been fed?"

Margie sighed and got up from her chair, she went to a table and brought out two bowls from beneath a kitchen towel, she brought them to Emily.

"We've been trying to get him to eat but he won't."

"Okay," was all Emily said as she took the bowls from Margie, Emily brought them in and shut the door, closing herself and the cub in together. The cub who Emily, having no imagination for this type of thing, named Cub, made a small mewling noise as it stared at her. Emily didn't want to spook him so she set the bowls down beside his box and went about arranging the paperwork on the desk, whilst surreptitiously watching to see if he would eat. Cub sniffed at the bowls but constantly returned his eyes to Emily, Emily sat at the desk and began to write up the mass of unorganised records and put them in order. An hour or so went by and Emily looked down at the box, Cub was gone. Heart pounding Emily almost sprung from her chair until she noticed two big eyes staring at her from her ankles, she absolutely melted. Reaching down she tried to pick up the cub but it backed away out of her touch, so Emily decided a more gentle hands-on approach. She got up from her chair and sat crossed legged on the hard, cold tiled floor; she drew the bowl of food towards her and took a finger full. She rested the back of her hand upon her knee and waited patiently for Cub to approach, he did. Within a few moments he had crept towards her and sniffed and licked gingerly at her finger, then finding that it was good almost bit it off. Emily continued to hand feed him until he lost interest in his food and wanted to play. Now that his apparent fear and shyness had worn off, Cub chose to bite and claw at all the furniture he could get at. He climbed by clawing at the wood, he tore the stuffing from the already ripped desk chair and found Emily's shoelaces particularly interesting.

"No," Emily made her voice stern, Cub's big eyes stared up at her and she felt herself caving, "you mustn't do that. It's bad."

She pointed her finger in his small furry face as she said it and watched as Cub's eyes crossed trying to keep the tip of her finger in sight. She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling but as soon as he sensed her amusement, Cub nipped her fingertip.

"Ow!" Emily laughed, trying to pull her hand from his mouth, "Cub must not eat human fingers. They can give you a bad stomach bug!"

"Only if people don't wash their hands."

Emily turned at the sound of Jasyn's amused voice behind her; she tried to turn with her finger still trapped in Cub's mouth.

"What are you doing here?" she asked happily, he shrugged without answering and moved into the room. Jasyn turned to pull the shade down on the door window, he saw Carson glaring angrily at him before Jasyn pulled the shade. With a smirk on his mouth Jasyn moved the cub from the chair to the floor and sat down on the uncomfortable chair and picked idly at the stuffing poking through the fake red leather.

"I thought I'd come down here to keep you company," Jasyn murmured, he watched with a raised eyebrow as the tiger cub began to attack Emily's shoe laces again. "What did the doctor say when you walked in?"

Emily gave him a what-do-you-think kind of look before she spoke. "He didn't get a chance. I just came in here and availed myself to paperwork."

"Just you and the tiger?"

"Just me and Cub," Emily said and looked down on the tiger with glowing eyes, Jasyn rolled his own but felt sillily happy that she had taken so to a Katagaria cub rather then an Arcadian one. He didn't mention this though, anymore mention of the whole Katagaria and Arcadian issue and Jasyn was willing to bet she'd explode.

"Yes, I believe I heard you tutoring him in the ways of righteousness when I came in."

Emily wrinkled her nose at him before picking up the cub and sitting down opposite with him plonked in her lap. She began a soothing massage on the cub's head and behind his ears, immediately he dropped his chin on to her knee.

"So it's you're night off?" Emily asked, never losing her rhythm on the tiger heads lest he wake with more energy.

"Yep and I chose to spend it with you. What joyful frolics have you planned for tonight," Jasyn said, after days with her he'd picked up a sarcasm virus.

"Well, its not like you've got anything else to do but sit in your room and brood," Emily retorted, the small smile on her mouth softening her comment, "and personally I think brooding does not go well with you. It tends to make you homicidal."

Jasyn's lips twitched.

"What do you do on your nights off?" Emily asked, "sit and read?"

She snorted as if she doubted it very much and Jasyn shrugged noncommittally, feeling a little ashamed. The truth was the norm for his nights off was for him to go in search of a willing human female to pass a few hours with. He would scan Sanctuary for one he liked the look of; he would pick her from the crowd and take her to the back room if it were just for a quickie. But if his needs demanded more he would tell them they were going back to her place and spend however many hours shagging her, then he'd leave without so much as a thank you. They never denied him or refused him and they never, ever complained until the next time they came into Sanctuary when they discovered that Jasyn would not even give them the time of day.

Jasyn did not want Emily to know that about him, he could imagine that one half of her would be indignant on behalf of her sex and how he'd treated them and the other half would be jealous. Just as he would be if it were the other way around - minus the indignation of course. For Jasyn could not care less about the feelings of the other men Emily may have been in a relationship with, he'd just be jealous that they got to her first … like that damned Edward.

If Jasyn was honest with himself he could not understand why he had automatically stopped his usual habits when Emily had first come to Sanctuary. Perhaps even then he had subconsciously recognised his attraction to her; perhaps he knew that for him to be seen with another woman would cause a rift between them. For even before the sexual attraction was acknowledged by the both of them, Jasyn had felt there to be a subtle intimacy that existed there. The relationship of a teacher and a student but the intimacy of knowing he was the first to have found her. He was introducing her to the Were-Hunter world the way her first lover would do to sex, an experience that could not be gained by explanation or reading but something that had to be experienced by oneself to truly understand the meaning of what it is to be a Were. Jasyn felt shame flush him again, unlike the first lover; he had not been gentle, kind or considerate of her feelings or her pain.

Emily sighed with relief when the cub fell into a deep sleep; she lifted him from her lap and placed him in the box. He squirmed a little and clawed at the blankets then fell back into a deep, dream filled slumber, she smiled up at Jasyn before retaking her seat.

"My God," she whispered, gently stretching out her legs, trying not to make the chair creak, "I never realised taking care of a cub full time was such hard work."

Jasyn had never cared for tiger cubs before so he shrugged.

"Please tell me Were-Hawks only have one egg?" Emily said flippantly as she yawned, "I don't think I could take a whole nest of them on my first go."

Jasyn gave her a one sided smirk and refused to think about her being a mother, because it caused far too many feelings to crowd beneath the skin of his chest.

"He's doing well now?" Jasyn asked softly, glancing to the sleeping young.

"Oh yeah, much better. I thought he'd be in shock for days but then youngsters have a lot more resilience then anyone gives them credit for."

Emily looked at Cub thoughtfully then to Jasyn.

"It baffles me how someone could ever hurt him."

"Not all Arcadians are like Colt," Jasyn found himself saying. He detested Colt on principle, the bear was Arcadian and Sentinel, two things that Jasyn wanted to eradicate from the earth. But deep down he also acknowledged the fairness and values that Colt stood for, it was something that Jasyn himself lacked. Jasyn wasn't sure why he'd let that comment about Colt slip out, he slandered the bear whenever he could. Emily just seemed to draw out an alien trust in him that allowed things like that to slip from his carefully guarded lips.

Emily, however, didn't care too much about Colt but threw Jasyn a glare, when she spoke her voice was stiff.

"I know you don't agree with what I said today. But I don't always agree with what you say most days. Anyway I don't think we should talk about this, we'll only end up fighting."

Jasyn smirked slightly.

"Emily, we won't end up fighting as long as we both respect one another's opinion."

Emily's jaw dropped, "speak into my good ear and please state your name for good measure."

When Jasyn gave her a glare she dropped the sarcasm but her look of shock stayed in place.

"When did you become so reasonable/"

"It only happens around you."

Emily wanted to scream at him and throw something at his stony face! He told her there was nothing between them, he insisted that there never could be and that he hated Arcadians yet he persisted in saying things like that to her that made her feel the most special and important person in his world.

"Emily, I understand what you said today," Jasyn began, "I really do. To be judged for your race rather then the content of your character is something I am very familiar with. But you have to realise that it's something that all Katagaria are familiar with. Arcadians believe that because they have a human heart that they innately better natured then their Katagaria brethren. They believe they have the right to hunt us into the ground and slaughter our families."

Emily felt her eyes fill, she sighed shakily, at that moment she couldn't construct a counter argument in defence of her race because Jasyn was like the voice of an angel bringing only truth.

"I don't think you will ever understand the suffering of the Katagaria," Jasyn said softly and sincerely, "and I honestly hope the Fates are kind and you never do. I hope in a hundred years time you are still as lovely as you are now, that you may take a Katagaria cub into your arms without malice or prejudice and care for it like it were of your race. I am not a religious Were, I don't worship Artemis or the Gods because I think they've done fuck all for me. But were I guaranteed that … I would pray for it everyday."

"Oh, Jasyn," Emily whispered, her heart wrenching, she got up and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He didn't wrap his own around her but it didn't matter, his words had said what he would not allow his body to express. They were not just people who wanted to jump into bed with one another; they had inexplicably - without rhyme or reason - become friends.

"I will do my best," she whispered and Jasyn closed his eyes, it made it all the more valuable that she had not promised him anything. Jasyn knew that she understood the dire state of affairs and deepness of the hatred between the races because she did not promise him she would stay the same and be forced to break it. Jasyn pulled back with a flip laugh and took her arms from his neck, he set her from him.

"Lets not go there," he said easily, though his eyes were tense, Emily nodded with a smile she didn't feel.

"Lets not."

* * *

"I wonder how he got here?" Emily wondered aloud looking down at Cub thoughtfully a few hours later, Jasyn shrugged carelessly.

"One of the others probably brought him," he suggested, "I guess they figure they did their duty to their clan by getting him to safety, now I suppose they think every man - or tiger- for himself."

"Poor little fur ball," Emily cooed, her eyes going weepy, she had fallen hard for the cub, "damn, I hope his parents are alive. I'd hate to think of him stuck up in this world all alone."

There was a beat of silence then, "Jasyn?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly is so special about Sanctuary?"

"Well, it's a Limani."

"Yeah, I know," Emily said, her brow wrinkling as she thought, "but what is it really? Because to me it's just a word. I mean does this place have spells on it that means should someone really violate the rules it beams them up or drops them outside or what?"

"What you think this is? Star Trek?" Jasyn snorted, Emily gave him the finger which amused him immensely. He sighed easily before settling himself back in the chair and crossed his legs, Emily was momentarily taken aback by how at ease he seemed.

"Well, Limani is an ancient word that roughly translates as haven or home. The rules were decided aeons ago by the Omegrion -"

"The what?"

"It's kind of like congress but the Were version," Jasyn explained, "We have two representatives for each breed of Were, one Arcadian and one Katagari. And it's there that the laws of the Were-Hunter world are made, where the violators of said laws are punished, and so on and so forth."

"I've got to say that I'm surprised that you could even come up with such a reasonable idea let alone implement it when there's so much hatred between the races."

Jasyn nodded with something akin to pride in his eyes, "Yes, it was a struggle. We all knew what was needed but it took a long time for it to be put into practice. Kind of like humans, they know that global warming will one day kill them but they refuse to see it until that day comes."

Emily's face crunched up on one side giving him a rather cynical look that said she didn't think much of his analogy.

"But eventually, with the help of Savitar, we got it off the ground."

"Who?"

"Oh, he's just this all knowing, all powerful being that referees that Omegrion. Nobody really knows who or what he is, but should you break the laws of the Limani or the sanctity of the Omegrion he flash fries your ass and laughs about it."

Emily gulped then threw Jasyn a glare.

"You know, I am so glad I do not have to have an exam on this, I would have flunked - badly! You are one lousy ass teacher!"

Jasyn chuckled darkly while Emily shook her head. Jasyn waited for her next question, he had a feeling he knew what it was, for she was avoiding his eyes and drawing circles into the arm of her chair with her nail.

"Jasyn?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been up in front of the Omegrion?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, no offence but you give the impression of being a bit of a tearaway."

Jasyn laughed but didn't answer and Emily didn't ask again.

"It's a great honour to be afforded the right to own and run a Limani," Jasyn said suddenly as if he were just carrying on conversation.

"Why?"

"Because it's hardly ever done," Jasyn replied simply, "Savitar is the only one that can grant the rights to a Limani and he doesn't do that often. Besides once you get it off the ground you have to keep it going. The bears are smart, they hide what this place truly is behind a lucrative business that not only rakes in the bucks, but can provide bullet proof camouflage for Weres against humans. But all this was possible because Lo and her family have been able to stay neutral over the centuries."

"I see what you mean," Emily murmured vaguely, her eyes far away, "how can you keep your own laws if you're a raving Katagaria hater."

"Exactly," Jasyn confirmed, liking how sharp she was.

"Why did Mama decide to open Sanctuary?"

"Her two sons were killed in an attack on their family by Arcadians," Jasyn said, a bite in his voice when he said the 'A' word, Emily was sure he didn't know about half the Peltier family's gene pool. "Lo vowed never to let another mother whether she is Arcadian, Katagaria, human or Apollite experience the pain of losing a child. And so here we sit in the fruits of her labour."

"That's sad …" Emily whispered, her heart giving a painful tug for Mama Lo and her family.

"Yes it is."

Emily leaned back her mind abuzz with all that Jasyn had told her, she felt a sudden tugging at her shoe laces and smiled before looking down. It was Cub again, he was awake and as bright eyed and bushy tailed as ever.

"Jasyn?"

Emily looked over at him and saw that his head was hanging over the back of his seat, she saw a movement in his cheeks that suggested a curving of his mouth, he was smiling.

"Yes?" He said before raising his head to confirm her suspicion.

"Do you want young?" she asked casually, wondering what future Jasyn saw for himself if he planned to stay in Sanctuary. Immediately she wished she hadn't asked, Jasyn's face darkened so fast it was like a shadow dropped over him, Emily wanted to bite her lip but her words were out.

"I will never have young," he said so firmly that it cut off any further questions or arguments, Emily sensed he'd had enough for the night and remained quiet. A few minutes later he got up and left the room muttering that he was tired, Emily let out a relieved breath when he left, though it wasn't until she was alone with Cub once more that she realised he never really answered her question. His answer was so ambiguous that she'd simply taking it as meaning that he didn't want kids, but his words were 'I will never have young'. Emily thought about this and saw what he meant without him having to tell her, whether he wanted them or not was irrelevant, his life simply didn't permit him to have home, young … a mate.


	15. Chapter 15

Emily arched a brow at Jasyn as he swooped through the trees, doing a cocky dive before pulling up and darting upwards, his huge hawk form was silhouetted against the full fat cheese moon that was rising over the bayou. Jasyn flew back to her and transformed in mid air, landing naked in a crouch, he casually manifested clothes on his body as he straightened.

"I told you I can fly at night," Emily groused, rolling her eyes at him, Jasyn rolled his eyes back before he came forward.

"You may be able to get in the air, babe, but that doesn't mean you can fly."

Emily gave him a dirty look which Jasyn laughed at.

"Well, show me," Jasyn challenged, Emily glanced at him.

"No, you'll laugh," she said almost petulantly, though she was secretly very worried about making an ass of herself in front of him.

"Only if you fall flat on your face," Jasyn said sincerely, Emily couldn't help but chuckle. Emily walked forward and prepared to take her hawk form, she glanced at him and saw him watching expectantly, Emily faced the water and inhaled deeply hoping she didn't completely balls it up. She willed her hawk side to come out, it wasn't hard to do. Emily compared it to the start of a horse race; the horses in their stalls knew they had to run when the stall doors opened and so they ran. When Emily called her hawk, she came. Simple.

Emily shook her feathers and took flight, soaring above the treetops and looking down on the magical and somewhat mystical terrain of the Louisiana Bayou. In the day it wasn't something that Emily was particularly fond of, though she had visited once or twice to catalogue the different creatures that made their home there. But at night under the moonlight it looked utterly captivating; Emily's hawk eyes tracked the path of an alligator as it sidled through the water. Her hawk sight was so strong she could have counted the humps on its back if she wanted to, but she flew too low over the tree tops and a stray branch caught her foot. She wobbled a bit then made her landing, luckily she'd recovered her grace and landed promptly and upright, she transformed in front of Jasyn in a crouch.

"Why aren't you getting up?" Jasyn said, amusement in his voice that made her sure he had seen her bobble it over the trees. Emily ground her teeth but refused to show her mortification, she raised her head and he was smiling manically, she felt the breeze hit her bare butt.

"I don't know how to make clothes appear yet," Emily said primly and Jasyn roared with laughter, taking his good sweet time about flashing some denim on her naked ass. Emily stood up with dignity and brushed her palms, she gave him an are-you-quite-finished kind of look which only seemed to amuse him more.

"Let's take a break," he said, his hand lifted casually towards his face, perhaps to scratch his nose, he suddenly froze. He became so completely still that not even that raised hand trembled as most people's are wont to do, Emily followed his lead feeling her heart rate begin to pick up. Out of the darkness a bird took flight noisily from the trees making Emily jump, Jasyn's head snapped about and his sharp eyes followed its course across the moon's face. As if someone had used a remote to un-pause him, Jasyn moved his hand to his cheek where he scratched his stubble with a rough, rasping noise as if noting had occurred.

"What was all that about?" Emily asked still looking at the tree the bird had vacated, Jasyn shrugged carelessly, Emily made a frustrated noise. "Do you have to be evasive about everything?"

"I must be on my guard at all times," Jasyn answered tonelessly and lowered himself to the ground, Emily twitched her head, watching him was like watching water flow - elegant and natural.

"Why?" Emily said and plonked herself down beside him; she crossed her stretched legs at the ankle and braced herself back on her stiffened arms.

"Why what?" Jasyn murmured distractedly, his restless eyes forever moving.

"Why must you always be on your guard? Why can't you let your hair down?"

She reached up and made to flick at his soft, platinum strands, he moved faster then light and caught her wrist, his green eyes slashed to hers and Emily knew she had been warned off. Feeling stupidly hurt but not willing to show it, she shrugged indifferently and pulled her herself from his grip.

"Can you really be asking me that after the other night?" Jasyn asked sarcastically, he and Emily had respectfully and silently agreed not to talk about the events of Halloween night, from their kisses all the way up until she had accused him of murdering her family. Jasyn knew Emily's inquisitive nature wouldn't be repressed for long and knew she would begin to pry and poke into what happened, she had been delicately skirting the issue for the last hour.

"Why is Arion after you?" Emily held her breath, praying he would not evade the question. She had been building up the courage to ask him about Arion and what happened between them on Halloween. Last night while they both sat so calmly together in the surgery Emily could not make herself break the comfort between them. Then she went and did just that by asking him whether or not he wanted kids.

"I am a slayer - or so I'm told," Jasyn answered with a shrug, "I have a bounty on my head so huge I can practically feel it bending my spine in half."

Jasyn's voice was somewhat wistful and distracted as he said this, his eyes focusing on the scene before him intensely. Yet Emily spied in his face a sense of enjoyment at simply watching the wind play in the tree tops and the moon shine on the water.

"Is that why you're at Sanctuary?" Emily asked tentatively.

"I suppose so."

"Well, you either are or you aren't, its not a difficult question," Emily retorted sharply, Jasyn slid a sideways glance at her and Emily pressed her lips together, knowing that her mouth was one day going to lead to her extinction.

"I'm there for that. I'm there because even creatures like me want a night where they do not fear their enemy's knife in their back."

"Lucky you," Emily muttered contemptuously and Jasyn arched a brow, Emily gave a half grimace half smile before explaining. "I still have enemies there."

"I said I slept without fear of being killed, I did not say that I didn't have enemies," Jasyn retorted snappishly. Emily sat in thoughtful silence for a moment watching his perfect, granite hard face awash in cold moonlight, she scrutinised it and only saw more mystery.

"But most of them are Katagari, you're a hero," Emily said with something akin to encouragement in her voice, Jasyn gave a soft disdainful snort.

"Oh, you are young," he laughed heartily, though Emily noticed the absence of mirth and the swell of bitterness and she was at a loss for something sarcastic to say.

"Can I tell you something?" he said suddenly, his eyes wide and conspiratorial.

Jasyn leaned back on his elbow so their faces were close and their eyes connected. Emily did not feel the electrifying arousal that Jasyn normally produced in her, but the excitement of his imparting knowledge unto her, she leant in greedily soaking his words up like a sponge.

"Betrayal can come on all sides, Sartas, from the most unexpected places," Jasyn said softly, he tucked a strand of Emily's hair behind her ear like he was a father telling his child a bedtime story. "I will die one day, perhaps in the near future and it could be from either an Arcadian or a Katagari. Do you want to know why? Because everyone has a price … hmm? Every friend can become an enemy, every stranger a threat, every shadow a spy. The Arcadians kill me because I kill them, because I'm a slayer and so on and so forth. But the Katagaria? They will kill me because I am trouble, because they believe me to be a slayer as well, because in their seedy little minds they know me to be a threat to everyone - to their power, their lives."

"I don't understand -" Emily began but Jasyn cut her over swiftly.

"I am a threat to everyone … They cannot live with something like me in the world, knowing I can't be controlled."

Emily was frowning hard as she stared intently into his serious face, "And what are you exactly?"

"A slayer."

"But what is that?"

Jasyn looked thoughtful for a moment then leant back and Emily would have given her right arm to know what he was thinking, he gave her a drolly grave look if you can imagine, before answering.

"I kill indiscriminately and without mercy," he answered apathetically, he didn't say it but Emily could almost hear his voice adding '_so they say_' sarcastically on the end of that sentence.

"But you're kind to me," Emily said, rallying diffidently to his defence and Jasyn snorted derisively.

"No, I'm not."

Emily blinked then thought hard again, "but I thought only humans were untrustworthy?"

Jasyn gave her a strange look, a surveying, appraising look before answering. "Trust no one, Emily. Not a soul."

Silence bled between them and Emily felt her mind wandering over the things that Arion had told her, things that she was now certain didn't hold as much truth as she had initially thought. Taking a deep breath Emily got ready to start questioning again.

"Arion said you were a child-killer," Emily repeated her words from Halloween night, she almost winced at how stupid they sounded now, she did not believe even Jasyn, with all his faults, could be so cruel.

Jasyn blew out a tired breath and pulled his knees up and leant his forearms on them, he did not look at Emily when he spoke.

"It wasn't like that," he murmured with anguish lacing his voice, "it just wasn't like that. It wasn't that simple. Not that clear cut, not black and white. Just not that damn simple!"

Emily wanted to lay a comforting hand on his tight, tense shoulder but did not, he wouldn't accept it.

"I was lucky enough to know my parents until just before I hit puberty," Jasyn said matter of factly, "they were slaughtered by a clan of Arcadian hawks hell bent on revenge for the murder of their Regis. My brother had killed him. I never found out why."

Emily's nails cut into her palms as she listened, she dared not breathe too loudly for disturbing his thoughts.

"My mother got me out and hid me with her family but she died soon after because she was bonded to my father."

Emily nodded, Jasyn had explained to her what bonding was, she had melted on the spot at the thought of a man loving you enough to want to die with you.

"I went through puberty in the care of my mother's sister and her mate, they were kind to me but the years of losing their children to the war had hardened them to a point where affection was not shown. Then one day they died too."

"How?" Emily breathed, her eyes wide and eloquent with sympathy that Jasyn could not look at her, he felt her need to touch him and prayed that she would not.

"Silly really," Jasyn huffed out, "my aunt was out hunting for food and a poacher shot her. She was bonded to my uncle so he died too. How undignified was that? To be killed by a human?"

Jasyn shook his head and tutted lightly, he was silent for a while and Emily was trying hard to keep her mouth shut so that she didn't prompt him. As fascinating as the insight into his past was, she didn't see how it was connected to Arion's accusation of Jasyn being a child-killer.

"I suppose a two or three years went past with me being on my own. The anger inside me brewing, growing everyday. I was hunted by Arcadian sentinels who would train using young fledglings like me for sport. I fought every one of them and killed every one of them, which I will not apologise for."

"I would not expect you too," Emily murmured but she wasn't sure if he'd heard her, he was staring at the tree before him with such intensity that Emily was surprised he didn't set it alight.

"I was one hundred and eighteen years old when I met Arion. I had hooked up with a group of hawk brothers whose parents had perished in a fire when Arcadians set their home to burn. By then I had gained a reputation as a vicious Arcadian killer and just to give themselves a legitimate reason to send out their best forces on me, they pronounced me a slayer. They sent force after force on me and I killed them all. Rivers ran red with the amount of blood spilt in those battles. Eventually they began to lessen, they were too scared to face me and I lived for about six months in relative ease. There was the occasional skirmish now and then with sentinels wanting to make their bones but nothing major."

"Then Arion came along," Jasyn said through clenched teeth, "to give him his due, he was smarter then the other Arcadians I'd faced. He knew that we were equally matched in force so he knew that I had to be defeated another way. He came through Andre. Out of all the brothers I was closest to him, he was as crafty and conniving as a hawk could be and I admired him for it, he was older then I but physically weaker. Still I was young, I was willing to believe that though he would double deal others, even his younger brothers, he would not do so to me. But he did. Arion offered him money in return for setting me up. Not only that … I had found out afterwards that Andre had been mated to an Arcadian."

"Oh my Lord! Really?" Emily gasped and Jasyn nodded.

"I couldn't believe it either. Of course, he treated her worse then if she had been a dumb dog. Anyway, I got a message that Andre wanted to see me about something very secret and very important. I went to an old farmhouse in Toulouse; they had planted his scent everywhere and the smell of blood. I rushed in thinking to save him but Arion was there instead and caught me unawares. We fought for hours and I came out victorious that time. I think it was because I had a burning hatred within me for Andre. I knew he had set me up and I was determined to settle the score. I went to his home, I found him there in the middle of beating his pathetic mate, his brothers were all around too. I tore through all of them in a blind red mist. "

"Were they all involved?" Emily asked quietly.

"I don't know," Jasyn answered his voice equally as soft, "all I knew was that I had been betrayed by the only people I had in my world. And so they had to die. I cut down Andre last letting his fear build until he begged to be spared, even offered to give me his mate in payment for his life. I tore out his throat and watched his drowned in his own blood; suddenly I felt a presence behind me. I spun around and lashed without looking, it was a boy. Arcadian of about thirteen."

Emily watched him talk about it so coldly and casually she really was waiting for him to shrug.

"His throat was slit and he fell holding the wound. His mother, who was almost crippled from the beating she had received from Andre, crawled towards him, but she could not reach him."

"The child was going the same way as his father; he wouldn't die for another twenty minutes. He was suffering. Drowning in blood, unable to breathe. All he would be able to think about was that he couldn't breathe and the fear of not being able to draw breath. So I took out my sword and -"

Jasyn stopped, he breathed rapidly through his nose trying to instil calm into his heart. He tried never to think about that day, he hated Arion all the more for it. Jasyn never said that he hadn't killed innocent people when fighting; he never denied that he was a murderer or a bully. He never insisted there had been a logical explanation for everything he'd done in his past; he never insisted he was fair or righteous. But he wished he had been just so when it came to this day he could look Emily in the eye with a purer heart.

"I stabbed him through the heart and let him die in my arms," Jasyn finished abruptly; Emily closed her eyes and held her hands over her heart. It was such a bloody, complicated mess.

"What of his mother?" she asked quietly, Jasyn turned his head away from her as he spoke.

"When Arion arrived she'd already passed from her wounds, but I know what it looked like. I didn't defend myself or tell them I didn't do it, I just flashed myself out of there and have been gaining reputation ever since."

"It was a mercy killing," Emily whispered, Jasyn shrugged, his face twisted with anger and the effort to hold back emotion.

"It was murder," he said simply, "it doesn't matter what anyone thinks."

"It was mercy," Emily insisted and this time she touched his back very gently and felt him stiffen, she rubbed once in a big, soothing circle.

"I haven't known peace since that day," Jasyn whispered, "from my enemies … from my own mind."

Emily watched him abruptly rub a hand over his face and held it over his mouth as he gazed into the darkness. He turned to her quickly, making Emily jump back to stop their bodies from colliding, he leant close.

"My point, Emily, is that things are shaped into what they are," Jasyn said, his eyes boring into her, the intense blue was astounding and heart breaking, "things are rarely born evil."

Emily controlled her lip and didn't let it quiver; instead she put her hand on his head and guided it without much resistance into her lap. He lay there with his eyes closed, breathing methodically in and out.

In and out, Jasyn thought to himself, in, out, in, out.

He just had to focus on the way his lungs worked, the feeling of the air pushing in and flowing out, it was the only he knew to stop water from forming in his eyes. Why was she doing this to him? Why wasn't she pushing him away? He needed her too. He needed her to condemn him, to hate him like everyone else. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so truthful; perhaps he should have told her he meant to kill the boy. Jasyn saw it now in his minds eye, the way he had knelt in the bloody mud and held the boy in his arms as the light faded from his eyes. The sound of agony ripping through Jasyn's clenched teeth, coming all the way from his breast. Hating that he had now become the thing that the Arcadians had named him for years, he was a slayer.

How could he be doing this? Letting Emily entrench herself closer and firmer into his heart, he's very presence produced more harm to her and more threats then it did protection. How could he feel this way about her? Unless …

Jasyn groaned out loud and Emily began stroking his hair, trying to soothe him but only causing him more pain.

On Halloween night Jasyn had sat in his own room and reaffirmed his old promise to himself that he would never, ever touch her. For Arion now wanted her and should she bear Jasyn's mark she would never be safe again.

"You are not evil," she whispered sweetly, lovingly into his ear, Jasyn turned his face into her leg.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he said but his voice was muffled, her hands stilled in his hair.

"What?"

Jasyn flew up from his position and gained his feet, he backed away from her, Emily was looking utterly bewildered and perhaps a little frightened.

"Get up," he commanded and she did as she was told, forever keeping a watchful, wary eye on him. "Now flash yourself back to Sanctuary."

Emily didn't move but simply stared at him and Jasyn felt his emotions rising rapidly and unsteadily to the top.

"Now!" he roared at her, making her jump and immediately flash back to Sanctuary. When she was gone Jasyn dropped to his knees and began to pound the ground with his fists, causing dent after dent in the firm ground, sending mud splatting at trees and rocks and in the water. After all the years of feeling nothing and practically being a corpse, why were the Fates bringing him this woman? Was it their plan to make him suffer for the crimes he had committed? He was not an innocent man but neither was he guilty, he did not accept that judgement. He would never have killed if Arcadian hadn't tried to kill him first and he may have killed innocents in the heat of battle but never had he attacked someone unprovoked - Jasyn gasped, he hadn't been guilty of that until Emily! Not until Emily had he ever tried to kill someone for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jasyn moaned miserably into his hands and rocked himself, and not for the first time but it was definitely the most ardent time he wished to be someone, anyone, else.

But at least she knew, Jasyn thought comfortingly to himself, if no one else knew that he was innocent of most of the rumours that had been spread about him at least she did. The rest of the Were-Hunter world could think of him as a scum bag, a rabid mad bastard in need of being put down. But Emily knew the truth and Jasyn could live with some semblance of peace knowing that she knew, even though most the time he would be in hell from wanting her so badly.


	16. Chapter 16

Emily bit her thumb nail down to the knuckle as she sat on the edge of her bed and waited for Jasyn to knock. She was sure he would knock after that outburst in the Bayou, perhaps to say sorry, perhaps to explain? Whatever it was Emily was prepared to forgive him, had forgiven him in fact. All Emily knew was that she had never felt more for any other man in her entire life, his pain reached out to her in a way nothing else could but there was something else also. For so long Jasyn had been living with anger, hate, pain, fear and guilt, all terminally destructive emotions. For so long he had been hated and blamed for things that no one save himself knew the real truth of. It had gone on so long that Jasyn had built around himself a coat of ice and steel and over time it had seeped inside him and made him internally cold. It made him believe that he deserved the hatred and blame they heaped on to him, but he was not innately cruel or callous or cold. In fact at odd moments there was such a goodness in him and a tenderness that Emily could barely keep herself from weeping for him. She felt so protective over him, even though she shouted at him a lot and told him he was a lousy teacher, in her mind only she was allowed to do it. Because, and Emily blushed as she thought it, to Emily's mind she seemed as special to him as he was to her.

"Oh dear," she whispered, bringing her head up from her thumb and looking across to the mirror on the dressing table. "I love him."

She did love him. Emily had never reached such a momentous conclusion in such a small amount of time, it took her over a year to finally mean it when she said that she loved Edward. But here and now where magic and mayhem abound, where she had to contend with threats of the human and Katagaria variety, where she was surrounded by gorgeous men without the pissy attitude. Emily knew that she was hopelessly in love with Jasyn, the one man she couldn't have, with a moan of despair she flung herself back on the bed. She may well be in love with him but Emily was quite sure he would not be able to accept her love, in fact he'd probably just give her the same old explanation.

Arcadians and Katagaria don't mix, she hated it when he said things like that, she could honestly just kill him. Though she could hardly blame him for her falling in love with him, Emily couldn't really think of any woman she had heard of that fell in love with a man that had tried to kill her. Perhaps she was suffering from some weird Stockholm syndrome, Emily laughed feebly and sat up brushing her hair from her face.

Surely he felt something for her though? All those times when he'd been as tender and as sweet to her as if he'd been her lover. When she had been injured flying and he'd sat with her through the night, the way he had stroked her hair back. Granted he had, as was usual for Jasyn, said the wrong thing and got her mad at him but what was love without a little loathing thrown in? He talked to her and told her things and shared with her the trust that he had never gifted to anybody else. And what about the situation with the flower? Emily was sure that a man who didn't have such strong feelings would not have been so jealous of Sergio. And then there was just the general way he stared at her across a room or when their eyes caught and locked across the dinner table. Would he really reject her now, after all that they had shared?

"I have to tell him," Emily whispered gently to herself, Emily stood up shakily, she would tell him. A feeling of determination stole over her lightening her spirit, in fact there was something dangerously exciting about going to tell Jasyn she loved him, rather like going into battle. Emily was about to leave the room when she thought better of it and decided on what was to be the first element of her plan of seduction.

She went to her closet and changed her dark t-shirt for a tight, white sweater that dipped at the cleavage and sat just on her waist line, so it showed a strip of her tummy. Emily then went about applying her make-up with care and stroking the brush through her hair so many times it shone when she finally stopped. She pulled back and surveyed herself in the mirror, unable to repress a smile of satisfaction.

"Killer," she said proudly and headed for Jasyn's room.

* * *

Jasyn sat on the edge of his mattress with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands, he was forcing his mind to go blank, trying to give himself some peace from his chaotic thoughts. But they pushed persistently at the walls of his skull and Emily's sweet, bewildered face kept swimming into view. Why did he need her so much? Why was it she that brought him comfort out of all the other females he'd met over the centuries? For weeks Jasyn had pondered these questions to himself and he thought he knew the answers now, in fact he was certain enough of the answers that he knew he could never lay with Emily. Ever. No matter how much he might -

Jasyn tried to force that safe, blissful blankness into his mind so he wouldn't have to think about how much Emily meant to him. He didn't want to think the three words that could cause such damage.

Abruptly Jasyn whipped his head up and narrowed his eyes on the door, he heard light, hurried footsteps climbing the stairs to his attic room. Jasyn transformed and took to the rafters, quickly masking his scent and cloaking his presence, his bright eyes watched Emily step into the room, she looked around and whispered his name.

"Where are you?" she muttered to herself when she saw that he wasn't around, Jasyn prayed that she thought he was still in the Bayou and go back to her own room. She didn't, instead Jasyn watched as she crept over to his bed, she sat on it and traced her hand over his pillow. She looked as if she had something desperate on her mind, her face set and determined yet when she touched her fingertips to the cotton pillow case it softened in such a way as to set Jasyn's heart pounding. Her sweet body was in cased inside a white cashmere sweater that Jasyn wanted to peel from her breasts rather then rip. In fact in his dreams he was never rough with her when they came together for the first time, he would treat her with kindness and care, making sure her pleasure was tenfold what it had been with any other man. Jasyn dug his claws into the wood and made himself stay where he was, had he been in his human form he would have been sweating and aching to go to her. His hawk form gave him some measure of comfort from such distress but not a lot, he still longed to feel her against him.

Finally Emily got up with a sigh, she strolled over to his window and leant her forehead against the pane. Jasyn watched her petite form from the back as she touched the glass, her breath steaming it up.

"Jasyn," she whispered his name, "where are you?"

After a few long, agonising moments she left the window and left the room, Jasyn flashed into his human form. He hated this, she had come here to make love to him, he just knew it. How could something that he wanted to badly cause him so much worry? Had she found him in his human form nothing would have saved her from him taking his passion out on her body, he would have made love to her like there would be no tomorrow for the both of them. And then where would they both be? If, by the Gods great mercy, they were not mated Jasyn would still have to contend with the fact that sex would cause his scent to linger on her far longer then just casual physical interation. She would be constantly targeted by his enemies were they to discover the extent of his feeling for her, and the lengths he would go to protect her only proved her to be the weakness he knew her to be for him.

Besides … Jasyn knew that sex - no, making love with Emily would be to his detriment, his fatal flaw in his long laboured plans of self-preservation and survival. For it would mark him as surely as anything could mark and scar a person, and he knew he would never be able to rid her from his soul.

Jasyn paced his room fervently, his footsteps making the floor boards creak beneath him, he worked on turning his lust to rage. Dwelling hard on all the things he hated about Arcadians, about life and about himself, he worked himself into a fitful temper which he needed for what he was to do next. Jasyn flashed himself into the downstairs of the house and made his way into the bar area, he passed Remi at the door without acknowledging him, which wasn't something unusual. Jasyn kept his head up and his eyes straight ahead, he did not look from left to right, he didn't have to. His entire being was tuned into Emily and he knew that she was in the far right of the room, unconsciously being admired by everyone. She had been walking towards the pool tables with Aimee but had turned at just the right moment to see him walking into the bar. Jasyn didn't need to turn his head to see her smile light up her face, or the curious wrinkling of her brow when her eyes followed him across the floor as he accosted one of the first women he saw. She wasn't beautiful exactly, her teeth were bucked and her skin a little oily but she was slim, big breasted and short with long blonde hair that fell past her shoulders. However Jasyn wasn't looking for someone he liked or wanted. He spoke a few short, lewd suggestions in her ear and watched her smile smugly to her friends, who were gawping at Jasyn, then led her to the sound proofed room out back.

Jasyn left the door unlocked and turned to the woman, backing her up against the wall, the woman looked up at him lasciviously, breathless with anticipation. Jasyn didn't let his revulsion show on his face or the fact that his heart was weeping blood red tears. He just forced the woman's mind to go blank and pulled her top down revealing her bra. Locking his jaw so he did not moan in pain Jasyn undid his flies and waited, leaning against the woman's perspiring shoulder to make it look authentic. Jasyn had never planned to have sex with the woman he picked out for this set up, but even if he had he couldn't. Jasyn felt like he was already mated and had been rendered impotent by the Fates curse, his mind and heart had no interest in sex with anyone that wasn't a sarcastic little red-head, and his body followed suit. His heart pounded out a rhythm in his temples as he waited for tearful gasp that came two seconds later, Jasyn closed his tight before turning with a cold expression and letting go of the woman's mind. Emily was standing at the door, she bit her bottom lip to stop it trembling but the blatant tears making tracks down her cheeks gave away her pain. She let out a sob and her eyes implored Jasyn for some sort of explanation.

"Hey lady, do you mind?" the woman behind Jasyn asked belligerently, Jasyn did up his flies leisurely before casting a indifferent look over his shoulder at her.

"Thanks for the helping hand," he said with a smirk and swaggered to the door, the woman looked indignant, clearly thinking that she had been used.

"What about me!" she demanded and Jasyn let out a malicious laugh.

"I said thank you, didn't I?"

He strolled past Emily who was staring at him, apparently too appalled to speak, her silent tears flowing in rivers down her face and dripping from her chin and cheek. Jasyn felt his heart stutter painfully before passing her as casually as if she had caught him making a turkey sandwich in the kitchen.

"Jerk!" The woman sneered behind them and pulled her top back into place, she marched out fast and pushed Jasyn out of her way, he gave a laugh full of masculine arrogance and superiority just to cement the affect.

Jasyn strolled down the hall making his way back to the house, his pulse jumped with fear when he sensed Emily following quickly behind him, jogging to catch up. He dreaded what he would see when he turned to face her but he did turn, and her expression was more terrible and more heart-breaking then anything he could have imagined. Jasyn raised a coldly expectant eyebrow before speaking in a calm, controlled voice that oozed mild disdain.

"Yes?"

Emily gaped at him for all of two seconds, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to speak around the lump in her throat.

"What was that?" she choked out, her eyes questioning the identity of the person before her, the person she thought she loved. "Tell me, Jasyn, what did I just see?"

"Well, if you can't guess I think you're best left in the dark," he mocked scathingly and Emily actually pulled back, almost wincing in pain.

"How could you do that to me?" she asked, her voice, so choked by tears, could barely quiver above a whisper.

"Oh please, spare me the dramatics, little girl," Jasyn snapped and tried to turn away but she grabbed his arm and held him tightly using all her Were-Hunter strength.

"No, you can't mean this," she cried, "why did you do that? Why did you want me to see that? What are you trying to do?"

Emily screamed at him and Jasyn steeled himself against her, he locked himself in ice so he could look her dead set in the eyes and be as cruel as he knew how to be.

"Well, before you turned up I was trying to get her bra off -"

Emily slapped him sharply across the face and Jasyn, who felt that he fully deserved that small punishment and more besides, knew there was only one way to react to fool Emily into believing what she saw. Jasyn run her into the wall and held her by the throat, his hand almost trembled as he saw her heart shatter in her eyes, he almost pulled back and dragged her into his arms. His knees were bending, his body telling him to get on the floor and beg forgiveness but he did not.

"The thing I despise most about Arcadian women," he snarled in her ear and felt her flinch through his whole body, "they're so needy."

He emphasised the words so much that his lips brushed her cheek as he spoke so viciously to her, Emily trembled with grief. She wasn't even scared of him, she just felt like she was going to physically vomit as all she thought she knew crashed down around her.

"So clingy," he hissed, "so damned fragile."

Jasyn pulled back to see Emily shaking, his stomach roiled at what he was doing but he knew he had to, for her own sake.

"I'm tired of you," he whispered angrily in her ear, "now get the fuck away from me."

Emily yanked herself from his grasp and flew down the hallway, she didn't stop running until she was at her bedroom door and it was only when she was safely locked inside did she collapse into tears. She was in too much pain to think, she couldn't muster the thoughts to be confused, all she knew was that she felt like she was dying. Her body caught up with her soon enough and when the shaking eased her stomach rebelled against what her mind and eyes had shown her, the contents landed on Mama Lo's expensive carpet. Emily hurled until all she brought up was bile and it stung her throat, then she curled up into the corner behind the door and wept. Humiliation and shame the likes of which she had never known consumed her. The pain of Edward leaving her was nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to what was happening inside her at that moment.

Aimee had seen what Jasyn had done and as Emily had run after him and the woman when they disappeared, Aimee had tried to hold her back. Emily had known that the eyes of all the guys and Margie were on her as she flew to the door where she saw Jasyn leaning into the woman. He'd jerked back when he'd heard her, he'd looked at her as if he didn't know her. Had he really been playing her all this time? What for, a damned tape? She'd destroy the stupid thing herself if was worth so damned much!

Then the woman had shouted '_what about me?_'

Emily felt the words vibrate through her and she needed to ask him the same question, what about me?

How could he abuse her trust and her friendship in such a way? Was it because she was Arcadian? It couldn't be. But then Jasyn hated Arcadians, even Emily had been surprised by how well he tolerated her presence around him. He had played her well and all for the tape which probably didn't have anything on it anyway, she never did check. Surely he wasn't so petty or so cruel as to do this all for a tape? Or was it worse then that, had he done it because she was Arcadian and he just simply hated her and he simply got off on the fact that he'd caused her so much pain? Emily moaned and rested her hot, sweaty forehead against the cool wall, she didn't know which was worse!

All those times he had pulled away as they'd kissed and told her that it wasn't allowed, it was just an excuse. He had been repulsed by her and simply acted like that to fool her in to thinking he cared. Everything had to be a lie, all that about his past and his friends, was that a lie too? Emily felt her eyes begin to stream again and she crawled to her bed and bit hard into the comforter so that the noise was muffled when she let out a scream of pain.

And so there she lay, crushed, humiliated and feeling like her very soul had been violated. For you see, that's just how deeply she had loved and that's just how deeply she felt the loss.

* * *

Jasyn let Emily run out of sight before closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall, he let his head fall back until the crown of his skull touched the brick wall where he repeatedly slammed against it. It was either that or run after her and Jasyn hadn't just put them both through the wringer to go and tell her it had all been a ploy to get her to hate him. He locked his jaw tightly to stop the trembling of his lower lip, he shut his eyes tighter to prevent any tears escaping. The only sign of movement came from the flaring of his nostrils as he heaved one agonising breath after another in and out. How he wished he could command his breath to stop moving in and out of him and his heart to stop beating and his blood to stop flowing. Jasyn had had physical wounds that didn't hurt as much as knowing you had just hurt the person you loved. Why was it so easy for him to think it now? To acknowledge that he loved her with all of his blackened heart? Dying a physical death would be so much less painful then having to stay alive and feel his soul die, Jasyn slammed himself back against the wall harder then ever and he was sure he heard a crack in his skull. He begged to black out and be swept into oblivion because his mind kept repeating the way she had stared at him as if she didn't know him anymore. The way her very tears seemed to be tiny segments of her immense sorrow as they fell from her eyes and splashed to the floor. Jasyn needed to open his mouth to breath because he was finding it difficult to gain enough air through his nose. Jasyn opened his mouth and felt the rasping sob as he sucked in breath and heard it rush out of him. Jasyn opened his watery eyes and Colt swam into view, disgusted that the sentinel was catching him at his utmost weakest, Jasyn stiffened his spine and held himself erect, glaring evilly at the bear.

"What the fuck do you want?" Jasyn snarled, sporting for a fight, even if it meant that he was kicked out of Sanctuary - he just needed something for the pain.

"I don't know why you did it, but surely there must have been a better way then that," Colt said shakily and Jasyn was shocked at the amount of emotion that the sentinel possessed in his face as he said it, and also how sincere it was.

"She needs to go," Jasyn said uncaring, "it's time for her to go."

"Then why couldn't you let her go as she came, Jasyn!" Colt barked angrily, under that anger was deep sorrow, "whole and free!"

Well, didn't that just add a extra layer of stinging salt to his gaping wounds. Jasyn felt like his heart was being flayed, he gritted his teeth so he could lie even though it tasted like sulphur in his mouth and throat.

"What does it matter to me whether some Arcadian bitch has hurt feelings or not?" he demanded viciously and Colt snapped his head back, a look of severe disappointment and disgust on his face.

"Go check the leaks you got going on, slayer!" Colt hissed and Jasyn froze, he whipped his hand up and wiped his face taking tears on the cuff of his shirt.

"So much for thinking you'd changed," Colt said and walked away before Jasyn could think of a retort.

"Its for the best," he whispered and walked back into the house the long way, through the bar where everyone could see that he didn't care.

* * *

Jasyn settled up in the uncomfortable rafters in his hawk form, his room being so near the attic was drafty and sometimes cold but the physical discomfort made Jasyn feel as if he were doing penance for his sins. Jasyn scanned his room, there were no personal items, no clothes or C.D's, there was nothing of him here. The lonely yet contradictory comforting thought came to Jasyn that the only thing that he would take with him from earth when he left it would be his tattered soul and his love for Emily, which would only grow stronger. Even while her hatred of him grew, and perhaps one day they would meet and she would attack him, as Arcadians were programmed to do, but he would still love her. Jasyn froze when he heard feet approaching his door, dread filled him when Emily's scent drifted under the door to him. There was a firm knock on the wood, Jasyn did not make a sound, the knock came again. He heard a sigh from behind the door and then she spoke, her sweet, melodic voice flowed through to Jasyn and pierced his heart as surely as it had been a sword.

"I know you're in there," Emily's tired tones reached out to him, "Jasyn, I know you're there."

He gave no answer and it abruptly went silent, so silent Jasyn couldn't hear her breathing, he wondered whether she had flashed herself away from the door.

"What I want to know is," Emily voice sounded unexpectedly, this time straining with tears, "why is it Remi can love his Arcadian step-son, but you can't find it in your heart to love me."

He heard her spin on her heel and walk away, she hurried down those stairs, perhaps with her hand to her mouth to muffle the sounds of her crying which Jasyn heard all the same.


	17. Chapter 17

"You don't have to go, you know?"

Emily paused in the process of folding her expensive linen trousers that she hadn't even worn at all on this trip and looked up at Aimee. The bearswan was sitting on the edge of Emily's temporary bed with one leg folded under her, leaning her weight on to one hand. Emily gave her a one sided smile and shook her head.

"Yes, I do," she muttered back firmly and placed the trousers carefully in her case, Emily closed the empty wardrobe door and set about retrieving her toiletries that had been scattered over her temporary room.

"How're you getting back?" Aimee asked with concern, in her pretty eyes Emily saw Aimee's worry for her and loved her for it but also despised the pity that was there also. After last night Emily had flatly refused to allow herself the luxury of emotion, she had plenty of time to sulk and brood when she returned to New York. As for now the thought of anyone pitying her because she was pining for that … bastard! It made Emily want to cause severe damage to whatever she was holding.

"I'm flashing back," Emily told her briskly, clipping shut her pretty vanity case, "I might as well put to use some of the things I've learnt here."

"You know, if you're still unsure of how to maintain control of your magic, Dev and I will teach you. I mean, we both taught Wren when he came here and he wasn't as accommodating as you are."

Emily smiled gratefully at the girl whom she thought of with an elder sisterly affection even though Aimee outnumbered her by a century or so. Perhaps it was because the girl still had the faith and hope of a child, perhaps because she knew very little about life and the world even though she was smack dab in the middle of it, or so was the impression Emily got.

"I'll be fine," Emily assured her gently, "don't ever worry about a girl who survived being a ward of the state. Believe me, if being in foster care didn't teach me how to make it on my own, nothing will."

Aimee gave her a half hearted smile and nodded, not meeting her eyes, Emily felt her heart, bruised and battered as it was, go out to her.

"Aimee what's wrong?"

Aimee raised her eyes and they were damp and sorrowful, she gulped a few times before she could speak.

"It's Fang -"

A knock came to the door and Emily called for them to wait a moment to give Aimee ample opportunity to dry her tears, because ten to one it was going to be one of her brothers at the door.

Emily opened it and there stood Serre and Alain, both grouchy and bed ruffled, Emily frowned in confusion.

"Your dry cleaning, madam," Serre said holding up a plastic bag with her clothes inside, Emily frowned even further.

"We went and got it for you," Alain explained.

"You didn't need to do that," Emily said shocked, she quickly took the bag from them and laid it on the bed; she turned back to the door.

"You honestly didn't need to go to the trouble," she said, feeling ashamed that they thought she was so broken up that she couldn't go and get her own laundry. This was practically the truth, since she had been planning to forget about anything she'd left outside her room so she could flash back to New York without seeing anyone.

"It wasn't a problem, Emily," Alain said kindly and Serre nodded his head next to him, "we really just wanted a chance to say goodbye before you got out of here."

Emily felt a lump gather painfully in her throat, oh dear, she thought, the waterworks were going to start producing!

"Believe it or not, your brand of sarcasm was rather refreshing," Alain said with a laugh in his voice and Emily chuckled a little sadly before she moved forward to hug them both hard.

"I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to you two," Emily said in their ears, they pulled back and Emily felt ashamed of herself, thinking she could skulk off without so much as a goodbye when so many people here had been so kind and welcoming.

"Well, we'd understand if you did," Serre assured her considerately; they both gave her another hug, separately this time and left her. Aimee followed them quickly, Emily got the feeling she was having a hard time expressing what was troubling her about Fang.

When she'd finally packed her things and then double checked everything, Emily walked to her door, she leant with one hand lightly on the jamb before yanking the thing open and walking with a high head down to the bar.

Emily thanked God that Jasyn did not work as bouncer during the day when she passed through the door from the Peltier house to the bar. Emily hugged Colt tight, then Remi and Lucille who were also there. Sergio teasingly slapped her ass when she hugged him, Dev kissed her on the cheek, Sera had tears in her eyes and Kyle gave her one of her own famous painless punches on the arm.

"I never thought I'd be doing this with an Arcadian," Justin groused in her ear as she hugged him, she gave the back of his head a painless slap which he laughed at, then pulled back.

"Were I an advocator of violence I would say I'm for hire to kill the useless bastard," Justin said playfully and Emily knew who he meant, but everyone was refraining from mentioning said useless bastard's name.

"Don't tempt me," Emily warned with a mild chuckle she most certainly didn't feel. Justin moved aside and Papa bear came up to her, he kissed the back of her hand like the gentle-bear he was and wished her well, even Mama Lo gave her a hug and cupped her cheek as she told her to have courage in her new life.

"Come back and see us now and again," Lo encouraged, "we'll certainly miss you."

Margie came into view from behind Mama Lo and Emily went to her. For reasons neither of them could name, they had grown very close over the weeks that Emily had been at Sanctuary. If Emily wasn't with Jasyn then she was almost always with Margie, and each would surely feel the loss of the others company.

"Why are you so sad," Emily tried to be playful but Margie shrugged sombrely.

"Because I know you won't come back, will you?" Margie stated more then asked, Margie shook her head when Emily didn't answer her. "I know I'd be the same were it -"

She stopped abruptly when she realised that the bears were all within hearing distance and then changed her words.

"Were it someone I cared about …" she ended and Emily said nothing, knowing that she meant Carson. Emily put her arms around Margie's neck and hugged tightly, she didn't want to leave her friend but she had too.

"He doesn't deserve you," Emily whispered low in Margie's ear so no one could hear, Margie let out a laugh that had a slight edge of hysteria to it. Margie was the one to pull away and step back, she had her old smile back in place but tears marked her eyes. Emily looked at the crowd gathered for her, the human kitchen and bar staff amongst them; she offered them a wide grin.

"Well, I better flash my feathery ass out of here before I forget how to do it," she said and got a mild laugh from them; she turned and walked the route back to her room. Halfway there she stopped and turned around, heading for someone else she needed to see.

Emily tapped on the frame of the open door to the surgery, Carson, who was sitting behind his desk looking surly, looked up and his face was immediately surprised.

"Hi," Emily said quietly as she dithered by the door, Carson tucked his hair behind his ear and licked his lips obviously a mixture of excitement and agitation at seeing her.

"Hey," he said slowly, he eased up from the chair, "come in."

Emily came forward and stopped a few steps from his desk; they stared at each other across it.

"I wanted to come and see you but -" Carson faltered, so Emily carried on for him.

"You wondered whether I would want to see your face ever again?"

"Something like that," Carson muttered blushing and not meeting her eye, he fiddled with the pen he was holding before thrusting it away from him as if irritated by its presence.

"I'm sorry for how I behaved towards you," he said sincerely, "I'm just … I'm just so damn sorry."

Emily smiled at him and came forward to sit on his desk; Carson moved beside her and sat also, looking rather miserable.

"I never leave on a bad note, that's my motto. Well, I try not to anyway" Emily added and gave him a nudge and a wink.

"I hate that I don't have the words to tell you how bad I feel. Sorry is so inadequate -"

"No," Emily interrupted him, "no, Carson. Sorry is just right."

Emily took a deep breath and let it out shakily, "people continually underestimate the value of just a simple, heart felt sorry. They babble on with words of raw sentiment when a 'sorry', felt as truly as you feel it, can work wonders."

"You forgive me then?" Carson asked hopefully and Emily laughed.

"Whole heartedly."

"Thank you."

"How's Cub?" Emily asked curiously and Carson shrugged wearily.

"He's fine, I guess. But his parents were killed in the fight. Lucky for him his Uncle came to get him."

"That's wonderful," Emily said, feeling a real smile grace her face for the first time that day, she couldn't bear the thought of Cub growing up without someone there to love him.

"What about the tiger cubs that were born here?" Emily asked a little warily and thought she saw Carson's cheeks flush, as though he wanted to forget what had happened.

"Well, with no mother and father, we'll have to see if there are any in their remaining clan that will be willing to take on a litter."

"Surely there must be?" Emily said shocked and outraged that no one was stepping forward to guard the cubs.

"You'd be surprised," Carson commented lightly but Emily sensed he shared her outrage.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes when Carson spoke abruptly, catching Emily off guard.

"He's a complete skank rat bastard!"

"But I loved him," Emily closed her eyes and bit her tongue when she felt the words leave her mouth, she sighed. She looked over at Carson whose hard face looked like it was angrily fighting to keep stoic, she gave a one shouldered shrug and sighed again.

"Loved?" Carson asked flatly and Emily refused to speak, "not love?"

"Does it matter?" she snapped with her face in her hands.

"Did you really care for him?" Carson asked incredulously.

"Would I be this chewed up about the whole situation if I hadn't?" Emily fired back and Carson was silent, Emily stood up and rubbed a tired hand over her face.

"I better go."

"Wait!"

Emily turned at the door and Carson came striding towards her with fire in his eyes, he took her firmly by the shoulders and laid his lips upon hers. His lips were incredibly soft and warm, he didn't use his tongue and there was the faint hint of stubble that would give her a rash.

_Jasyn doesn't kiss like this_, she thought.

Emily mentally cursed herself as she pulled away and shook her head, she felt Carson's hand on her face and closed her eyes tight because she was almost about to pretend he was someone else. And that so wasn't fair.

Emily opened her eyes and looked up at the kind doctor, even after their falling out she still respected him, for he was kind and lovely and beautiful. But he wasn't what she wanted.

"I'm sorry, Carson," Emily said quickly, tears threatening the stability of her voice, "but I can't. You have no idea how much I wish I could right now, but I can't. I would be using you and that's so wrong because you are such a good male."

Carson let his hand fall from her face with a sound of regret and nodded, he backed away, Emily wanted to say something on Margie's behalf but she knew her friend would not appreciate Carson having any inkling about her secret. So Emily nodded her goodbye to Carson and went back to her room, she straightened the bed linen, opened the window to air it for the next visitor and she left the key to the room on the dressing table. Emily took one last look around before concentrating on her apartment in New York, a huge part of her hoped that she wouldn't be able to do it. Then she would have to take the train and the long time and physical distance it put between her and New Orleans would stop her coming back. To be able to flash in and of places whenever the whim took her was dangerous, because she would then have to rely on will power to keep her away. Emily flashed herself home, she opened her eyes and she could see the streets of New York outside her window and she began to weep, part happiness and part sorrow. Emily dropped her bags and rushed to the phone, she picked up the receiver and began to punch in the numbers, barely able to see through her tears or breathe through her sobs.

"Hello?" Aaron answered the phone, he heard her sobs and was instantly alert, "Emily? Where are you? What's wrong?"

"Please come over," she begged and let out a chorus of heart broken sobs, "I just really need to see you."

Emily heard Jay in the background, it sounded like he had rushed in from another room, evidently Aaron had put her on loudspeaker.

"Emily, what's the matter, babe?" That was Jay.

"It feels really, really bad," she squeaked and wept her part of her story down the phone to them, they cut her off and told her they were coming over immediately.

* * *

Emily heard her friends on the landing before she opened the door, she peeped through the spy hole and saw Jay flustering up the stairs in a stylish trilby hat and a brown poncho, Aaron pulled up behind him dressed a little more sedately.

"What are you doing here?" Aaron's voice asked in surprise, behind them was Paul, "she phone you too?"

"No," Paul said nonplussed, "I just saw her lights on as I was passing and decided to come up. She called you?"

"Yes, in a terrible state," Jay said, holding his chin, something he always did when worried.

"And she called you two?" Paul said with the mildest indignation in his voice, Emily opened the door as he spoke again.

"Why wasn't I invited?"

"Because you're not gay," Jay snapped as he rushed into Emily's arms, flinging his handbag at Paul as he went. Paul caught it in his stomach with an 'Oof' and continued to look a little confused, Aaron took pity on him.

"We'll explain in a minute."

And all three ushered Emily inside, the only family she had gathering around to nurse her through her grief.

* * *

Jasyn knew the exact moment that Emily left Sanctuary completely, he just knew. The ties he felt that bound his heart to hers were stretching but could not break; the things were friggin' indestructible, which made the situation a whole lot harder. By early evening, when Emily had been back in New York for at least seven hours, Jasyn felt his stomach give a particularly vicious rumble. Jasyn had been determinedly avoiding dealing with physically caring for his body all day, he hadn't eaten, he hadn't slept, he refused the comfort of the downy pillows and instead chose the drafty, creaking rafters. But him staying in his room mopping after a woman was not the image he wanted to project, if he had gone out of his way to make the one he loved hate him, he was damn sure going to keep up the act for everyone else. Even though it was killing him.

Jasyn flashed himself down into the bottom of the house and went to the kitchen; he was working tonight and needed to feed quickly before showering and parking his ass between doors. He loped into the kitchen and saw that the Howlers were in there, as was Remi and Lucille; they all turned to look at him as he walked in and the quiet amassed into silence which to Jasyn was the consistency of concrete. Colt stood from the table, his mouth was bulging with whatever he'd just taken a bite of, he threw down the piece of bread upon the table and walked out without a word, though it was evident in everything he did that his reason for leaving was Jasyn. Angel looked awkwardly down at his clasped hands and studied them intently; Tripper and Slash also could not meet his eyes. Damien, who was as quiet as Jasyn was mean, looked up and stared curiously at Jasyn who stopped at the fridge. The back of his neck tingled with their stares and he pulled out a turkey leg, a left over from the night before, he sniffed it suspiciously before biting into it. He turned and saw that Damien was still looking at him, he chewed slowly, his eyes boring into the young Were.

"Something on your mind?" Jasyn said dangerously and Damien gave a quick laugh that said he wasn't worried about what Jasyn might do to him; he jumped down from the counter he was sitting on and swaggered out.

Lucille, who had always been sociable and kind to him even when he had given her very little reason too, looked away from him and picked up Manuel. Remi leant down and kissed the baby atop his head before Lucille walked out, as if in slow motion Jasyn watched the brief exchange between the baby and his Papa. Remi's lips touched the wealth of black hair and his big hand settled on the baby's back, Manuel reached a hand up and it's grasping, fat fingers just missed his father's golden locks. Emily's words sounded in his mind and it was all he could hear, why did Remi love his step-son so?

Jasyn threw the half eaten turkey leg in the bin and left the kitchen, he took his space at the door, he was completely uninterested in bathing or brushing his teeth or making himself presentable in anyway. The door to the bar opened and Jasyn moved his legs out the way to make room for Justin to pass by him, Jasyn had always got along well with Justin, as well as someone like him could. He'd always had respect for the surly panther who had survived a tough Arcadian prison. Justin didn't nod to him as he normally did, nor did he try to hide the dislike he was feeling at the moment. Jasyn narrowed his eyes on the panther as he stalked by but Justin gave no acknowledgement to Jasyn's presence. And so the night went on, almost everyone that passed by him gave him a dirty look or just refused to meet his eye. The human woman who helped in Carson's surgery was the easiest to detect anger from, every time she walked by him it magnified to such a point Jasyn knew it was only his fearsome reputation that kept her mouth shut. Even the human bar and kitchen staff paid more attention to him then normal, they whispered behind their hands and stared at him when they thought he couldn't see. Not everyone was silenced by Jasyn's reputation, as the night drew in and it reached around nine o clock, Aubert Peltier made his way back into the house to look for Nicolette. He let the door to the bar close behind him and stared at Jasyn's side profile; Jasyn felt his jaw crack as he ground his teeth in frustration.

"You're not my type," Jasyn sneered before turning his eyes slowly on the bear, Aubert shook his head at Jasyn, evidently annoyed with him.

"I'll never understand you, hawk," Aubert said quietly and Jasyn laughed mockingly, Aubert kept a steady eye on him which was making Jasyn's skin itch. "She was a good girl; you should have let her be."

"I didn't ask her to get all clingy with me!" Jasyn snapped immediately, his eyes flaring, he stared at the bear's throat, wanting to rip it open.

"No," Aubert snapped quickly, "you didn't lead her on at all, did you? Not an Arcadian."

Aubert shook his head sadly, "why must you destroy everything you touch?"

Jasyn looked stricken and watched, his mouth gaping wordlessly as Aubert passed by him, the bear was careful not to touch him as though Jasyn carried something he did not want. Jasyn suddenly felt like his chest was being constricted and he walked rapidly to the stairs clutching at his chest, Dev was coming down them and eyed Jasyn warily.

"I'm taking the night off!" Jasyn barked before racing past him, leaving the bear stunned and gaping. Jasyn tore up flight after flight until he was at his room, he opened the door and threw himself inside gasping for air, he ripped buttons from his shirt as he tried to loosen the collar. Jasyn stayed on his hands and knees with his forehead almost touching the floor, his whole body shook as he was racked with heaving coughs. His heart, that had been pounding like a drum, had stopped rising and was currently just pounding so hard that Jasyn wondered worriedly whether he was going into cardiac arrest or some such thing. He convulsed a little and flashed into his bird form, his heart rate and breathing still erratic, sweat seeping from his pores. In a panic he flew around his room, shrieking as he dodged between the rafters, he went faster and faster, swerving between the cobwebs and dust. His vision blurred and he hit a wooden beam head on, it knocked him to the floor where he laid quietly. Relieved when his heart began to slow the world did not seem as though it were caving in on itself. Jasyn hadn't realised just how well liked Emily had been, even the Katagaria here had taken to her in the end. Jasyn closed his eyes and forced his mind to go blank, he wanted to emptiness, solitude - what he needed was a totally different thing.

Sometime later there was a firm knock on his door, Jasyn flashed into his human form, clothed himself and clawed himself up off the floor using his bedposts. He staggered to the door and opened it, Carson was on the other side looking grim, Jasyn nearly groaned but instead faced the young hawk with a haughty sneer.

"What do you want?" Jasyn snarled and Carson rolled his eyes.

"Believe me I have no pleasure in being here," Carson sneered back and waited expectantly, Jasyn hadn't a clue what he wanted.

"You want to come in here," Jasyn stated, unable to comprehend how the bird thought he would ever get asked in.

"Not really but it's what I'm here for," Carson stepped forward and Jasyn filled the gap in the door with his body.

"That wasn't an invite, asshole!" Jasyn growled and Carson cursed suddenly, he pinned Jasyn with a glare.

"You think I want to be here with you?" he demanded and Jasyn didn't answer, he simply glowered menacingly. "Well, I don't! I'm here because Dev said you had come flying up the stairs with a face the colour of stale milk."

"He was seeing things," Jasyn remarked indifferently and Carson shrugged.

"You know, I hope there is something wrong with you and since you've refused treatment you can continue to rot up here. I'm surprised it's taken you so long … you're half dead anyway!"

Jasyn lifted the bird off his feet by the lapels of his doctors coat and was getting ready to murder him, Sanctuary laws be damned.

"I'm glad Emily left you!" Carson snapped, the fear that was in his eyes apparently wasn't enough to curb his tongue or the rage in his heart. "You'd have probably hurt her worse if she'd stayed because you're a heartless piece of shit!"

Jasyn's hands unclasped from Carson's coat and the bird fell with a squawking noise; he collapsed on the floor and stared up at Jasyn. The sense that he shouldn't have pushed to hard suddenly crept into his mind and Carson looked scared.

"Don't talk about what you don't know!" Jasyn growled, pointing a threatening finger in his face, Carson looked petulant but couldn't resist opening his mouth one more time.

"All I know is that she cared about you! You knew it and you punished her for it! What kind of being is that that would do such a thing to woman as good and pure and lovely as Emily?"

What kind of being indeed? Jasyn thought before the world grew to close and he began to gasp for breath, he leant against the jamb and slid down it. Carson snapped into action, playing the good doctor as he quietly ordered Jasyn to breathe deeply and slowly, he dragged Jasyn back into his room and tried to help him up. Jasyn kicked him away and pulled himself up to his feet, even though it felt like his lungs were trying to breathe air made of barbed wire.

* * *

"I think you may have experienced the Were-Hunter version of a severe panic attack," Carson informed him, all professionalism and gloss now. Jasyn threw him a filthy look which Carson did not see on account of him fiddling with a stethoscope, Jasyn eyed the thing as Carson came towards him.

"Try it and you die!" he growled and Carson paused then lowered the instrument, he shrugged then turned to put it back in his little doctor bag.

"I would recommend rest, tranquillity, no heavy lifting, no stress or excessive movement for a while perhaps … but that all seems rather futile when talking to you."

Jasyn was happy with the doctor's accurate assessment of his character and just inclined his head once.

"Whatever you were thinking of before the panic attacks began," Carson said without meeting Jasyn's eye, they both knew the cause of them, "just … don't think about them anymore."

Jasyn wanted to say that it was easy for Carson to say but refrained, he let out an inaudible sigh as Carson packed up and headed for the door. Jasyn saw in his peripheral vision that Carson was standing still with his hand upon the door handle.

"Didn't you feel anything towards her at all?" Carson asked in a low voice, he was still facing the door when Jasyn looked up at him. Jasyn wanted to say something mean and nasty but instead he remained silent, Carson obviously thought he was getting no answer and ripped the door open violently and slamming it shut behind him with equal fervour.

"It's for the best," Jasyn whispered but his voice sounded hollow to his own ears. How could this be for the best? Feeling like his heart was tearing in two, panic attacks, wanting to kill Carson, more panic attacks, wanting to kill Carson again. Jasyn had never thought about his life before or its direction or how it would end, now he simply hated it. He wanted more then he knew the Fates were willing to allow him and it made him truly want to rage until he had destroyed everything in his presence, including himself.

* * *

_Three Days Later_

Jasyn was standing by his window when Dev knocked and without waiting for an answer came in, Jasyn turned about to hand Dev his ass on a plate for barging in his room, but he smelt the sickening smell of panic beneath the scent of bear.

"What's happened?" Jasyn said immediately, his thoughts turned to Emily and wondered if she'd been hurt and the bears had come to tell him.

"Sanctuary's license has been revoked," Dev said starkly and Jasyn felt shock the likes of which he hadn't felt in years grip him. It was actually quite a nice change to feel shock after days of being a dark place where he was both numb and in pain.

"How?"

"Never mind," Dev said though a muscle in his jaw twitched which meant he was pissed, "the only thing you need to know is that since we now no longer hold a licence for a Limani, you guys aren't protected. And the other great thing is that we are now under attack so you better move your ass, hawk."

"I'm staying," Jasyn said firmly and turned back to the window, he felt Dev's shock reverberate around the room and said nothing.

"Why?" Dev asked.

"I'll be down in a minute."

There was a heartbeat or two of silence, "thank you, Jasyn."

Dev left the room and Jasyn let his head fall against the pane, perhaps he might be killed in this, Jasyn thought hopefully. He thought of Emily and wondered what she would say or think or feel if she heard the news of his death. Probably rejoice, Jasyn thought, he let out a long shaky breath and it fogged up the window. Jasyn blinked in surprise when he saw his own name written there, he leaned in closer to inspect it and exhaled over the glass to bring up the invisible writing with his breath. Jasyn blinked rapidly when he saw his own name beside a small message that Emily must have written the night she had come to his room and waited for him, she had stood where he was and written on the glass with her back to Jasyn.

_Luv. U. 4ever._

Jasyn made a circle around the image in the fug he'd created on the glass; it took all his will power to keep his eyes dry. With a heaving breath he stepped away from the window and wrapped his arms around himself as he made his way to the door. Once there he turned and saw that the message had already faded, but Jasyn knew it was there and her invisible message was now imprinted in his mind and heart. Opening the door Jasyn put on his game face to go downstairs and kick some ass.


	18. Chapter 18

Emily scowled darkly as Aaron and Paul talked with earnest enthusiasm about the next series of Emily's wildlife show. They had insisted it was a business meeting but there was nothing they were saying that could not have been said over the phone.

"You've got me here under false pretensions!" Emily cried curtailing their chatter.

"Pretences," Aaron corrected without thinking.

"Whatever!" Emily snarled sharply, "why have you brought me here?"

Aaron and Paul exchanged comical looks of blatant _she's-on-to-us_, evidently they knew they had been caught out.

"Well, what else have you got to do all day?" Paul retorted quickly, "lay in bed crying wet patches into your sheets under your duvet?"

Emily blushed crimson and was extremely glad that the restaurant they were in was practically empty.

"I don't cry under my blankets thank you very much," she snapped, thinking that just this morning she had been eating ice-cream out of the tub and crying into it.

"Well, to be honest the only reason we did this was to get you out the house so your maid could clean it. We promised to pay her extra if she gave the whole thing a spruce up," Paul informed her primly and Emily gaped in outrage.

"You had no right -"

"The neighbours were beginning to complain of the smell, Emily," Aaron said soothingly, which was of course an exaggeration, although Emily admitted her love of neatness and order in her little home had gone slightly askew with the on set of her grief. Suddenly Aaron waved at someone and Emily turned and suppressed a groan, it was Lynette.

Lynette was five foot ten and as willowy as she was tall, she was smart, she was sassy and she was beautiful. Her coffee coloured skin was as smooth as butter and she had style that put models on the catwalk to shame. She was Naomi Campbell only better looking, her voice was a deep purr when she spoke, and whatever she said was either hilariously funny or bitingly sarcastic, it was no wonder Lynette and Emily had become friends. Lynette had also been born David Landis and as much as Emily loved her company, she just wasn't in the mood for Lynette's perpetual life-is-good attitude.

Lynette put her bag down beside the empty chair and went straight to Emily and hugged her tight, Emily inhaled the smell of coco butter on her skin and took a strange comfort in it, evidently Paul, Aaron and Jay had told her of Emily's problems.

"Honey, I heard a man - a foul, sleazy man of obviously lower then dirt IQ, has broken your heart," Lynette said her voice was all sympathy.

Emily smiled ruefully and began to tell Lynette her story, replacing certain facts with lies as to make Lynette understand without revealing her secret. An hour later when they were all eating dessert and drinking coffee, Lynette was listening intently with her chin resting on her fist. Emily was scraping the last of her Danish pastry from the plate with her fork as she spoke.

"So let me get this straight," Lynette said slowly once Emily had told her all she could, surprisingly Emily found she felt a little better. "He found out that you are descended from a certain race of people that fought his certain race of people and he hates you for it?"

Emily nodded and shrugged in a _that's-kind-of-it _fashion and Lynette shook her head and pursed her lips; it was obvious that a rant about the failure of men was building up inside her.

"How can you allow yourself to cry over a man like that, Emmy?" Lynette asked passionately and Emily shrugged listlessly. Lynette patted her impeccably weave which she usually did when she was about to start ranting.

"I think it was more the humiliation of it all that's got me," Emily muttered sadly and even Lynette stopped her mouth to throw her a pitying look.

"Oh my!" Aaron breathed, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared over Emily's shoulder, Emily turned and gaped.

"Jasyn!" she squeaked absolutely stunned.

"Hello Emily," he murmured deeply and Emily turned to look at Paul and Aaron, both of whom were simply staring at Jasyn as if he had come in and announced himself as the Messiah. Emily felt her heart begin to pound with a kind fear as she let her eyes scan him up and down, he hadn't shaved and there was a growth of stubble that was beginning to turn into a beard. The muscle shirt that he wore probably would have creases in it had it not been so tight to his perfect body, he had a rather pale, unhealthy pallor to his skin and his face looked … thinner, for want of a better word, as though he'd lost weight. Emily couldn't see how that was possible when they had only been separated for a week and a half, but then Were-Hunters did have faster metabolisms then humans. In fact, he looked terrible and as petty as that made her seem Emily was rather glad, even though the bigger part of her longed to walk into his arms. Emily physically turned her face away and closed her eyes tight trying to shut down those feelings.

"What do you want?" she asked sharply, her eyes letting nothing but her rage show.

"This is him!" Lynette cried, her perfectly plucked brows furrowing with fury, "this is the guy?"

Emily could see an almighty storm building in Lynette and it wasn't all on Emily's behalf, as a black, gay and now transsexual man Lynette could not abide prejudice or discrimination of any kind and her indignation was rearing its head.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your ass round here!" Lynette barked, Jasyn who hadn't even acknowledged anyone else's presences flashed his eyes towards her. He arched a brow that said he was getting mildly pissed off and Emily felt concern for her friend cloud her stomach. She laid her hand over Lynette's as her friend growled at Jasyn about his bare-faced cheek, and that he wasn't good enough for her friend, thank you very much, annnnnd another thing -

"Lynette, don't!" Emily said sharply, Lynette stopped and bit her lip, deliberately turning her back on Jasyn. "What do you want?" Emily repeated again, her voice full of strength and not the merest trace of familiarity.

Jasyn swallowed before speaking.

"The tape," he said, "I need the tape."

Of course he did, Emily thought furiously, silly, little Emily, why would he ever come back for you?

Emily took the napkin from her lap and threw it on to the table with a sharp snap that rattled the cutlery.

Emily got up without a word and made a phone with her hand and pointed to Paul and Aaron, they nodded. Emily stalked by Jasyn without even looking at him though she saw his eyes fix on her, he turned and followed a little belatedly, Emily couldn't help but smile when she heard Lynette's distinctive voice sound through the restaurant.

"A kick in the ass is what he needs!"

* * *

Jasyn followed Emily as she marched down the street, it would have been easier to flash to her house but he instinctively knew that this was her way of letting him know she was running the show. By walking she would have to let him into her house and probably make him wait at the door. Jasyn opened his mouth to talk to her plenty of times but she refused to look at him or let him catch her eye. She had blown him away when he'd walked into that restaurant and seen her; obviously he'd tracked her there and knew she was in there by her scent, but, damn! When he laid his eyes on her and saw just how beautiful she was, he wanted to scold his memory for not doing her justice; either that or she'd grown more stunning in the days they'd been apart. He wanted to drag her to a stop but the words of explanation and how sorry he was wouldn't form, so he didn't. In fact Jasyn wasn't sure what he was doing here but after watching Mama Lo and Aubert die in each others arms, it had done something to him. He had panicked inside and it had galvanised him into action, and he had flown non stop to New York. He'd gone to Emily's home but she hadn't been there, he'd watched her maid leave before tracking her by scent all over the city. He hadn't a clue what to say to her, he didn't even know what he wanted to say to her or what he wanted out of telling her the truth because it wouldn't change anything. She would still be in danger and even more so now that Sanctuary was no longer standing as Limani. No, all it would do was make her care about him again, and wasn't that selfish of him? To crave her so much he would allow her to put herself in danger, it wasn't right … Gods, he was such a rat bastard!

Jasyn followed her into her apartment building and up the stairs, she stopped outside her door and fumbled with the keys, Jasyn stood behind her and breathed deeply. Her scent was everywhere and it was making him hard and needy, he wanted to tuck himself against her back and press her against the door while he trailed his tongue over her neck …

The door swung open with such force that it hit the wall with a bang and the TV that sounded faintly from her neighbour's house went mute for a moment, as if the person watching it was listening hard to what might be happening outside their door. Emily marched into her home and Jasyn followed immediately, not giving her time to demand he stay at the front door, he closed it quietly and bolted it. Emily wasn't looking at him, she had stormed across to a bureau that stood next to her fireplace and ripped open the drawer, her hand went immediately to the tape that was settled all snug behind the clutter. She pulled back, turned and threw it into the space between them, as if throwing down the gauntlet. It landed with a loud and annoying clattering sound of plastic hitting bare wood which is always obscene to the ear. Jasyn stared at it knowing that he couldn't care less what was on the damn thing, but that it was his only excuse to see her, one which made her despise him more.

"Take it and get out!" Emily sneered before turning away from him ready to lock herself in her bedroom until he left. Jasyn snapped his head up and moved to her side with preternatural speed, he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. Emily turned and with strength and precision he would never have attributed to her, she landed her fist into the side of his mouth. Jasyn was thrown off course for a moment, his knees bent but he stayed standing and angled away from her as his vision fuzzed out and came back again. He snapped his head around to her and she was standing there looking terrified, as if she had been just as shocked by her actions, her breasts heaved as she panted. Jasyn touched his lip with his tongue and tasted blood, it set fire to him and he flew at her, taking her up to the wall and locking his lips on hers. He got the biggest sexual thrill when she kissed him back, her tongue diving into his mouth and her teeth scraping at him, he pressed her harder into the wall intending to take her. His lips pushed firmly on hers and she began to lose her rhythm, to his horror he saw her struggling against him, her lips stopped moving and her tongue pulled back and had she not had her arms trapped between their bodies she would have pushed at his chest. Jasyn backed off and watched as Emily wiped the wetness and blood from her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Emily," Jasyn panted and tried to take her head in his hands, but she wouldn't let him, she struggled out of his grip and away from the wall. She escaped to the other side of the room where the high windows looked down on the street.

"Just leave me alone!" she yelled at him, she kicked the tape in his direction and it skidded across the floor and under the bureau, "just take the damn thing and leave!"

"I can't!" Jasyn shouted back, "I love you, Emily!"

Emily was shocked into silence for all of two seconds before flying at him; Jasyn caught her at his chest and held her flailing fists.

"I hate you!" she screamed through her tears, "I hate you! I wish you were -"

Emily pulled back and stopped herself before she said something she didn't mean, even for how badly he'd hurt her, she still didn't wish that.

"Jasyn just go!" she begged emphatically, "why are you doing this to me?"

Jasyn was staring at her with desperation and contrition written plainly across his face, and she saw it too, but when someone had hurt you as badly as he had hurt Emily, it was hard to read what to others would seem very simple.

"I love you," Jasyn whispered, he'd never said those words to anyone in his long and terrible life yet now the fuckers had gained freedom it seemed the only thing he could say. "I love you, I do!"

Emily hissed as if he'd stung her and she closed her eyes and turned her face to the side, she shook her head and made waving motions with her hands trying to get him to stop and shut up.

"Emily, listen to me, it wasn't real what you saw," Jasyn licked his dry lips, "I didn't do anything with that female, I couldn't. I didn't want her. I haven't wanted anyone else since I met you."

Jasyn took a rattling breath and wiped at his bleeding mouth, his eyes were beginning to sting.

"You are such a liar!" Emily snarled with venom, "just take the tape and -"

Jasyn was on her again and this time he was rougher, taking her shirt by the shoulders and dragging her to him.

"I don't want the fucking tape!"

"What do you want then!"

"You!" Jasyn cried in her face, "haven't you been listening? I want you! I want you now and I want you always!"

Emily rubbed at her temples wearily and tried to force Jasyn from her with her elbows but he would not back up or let her go, he brought her close instead. Emily struggled and she felt his grip loosen.

"Hit me again if you want, Emily," Jasyn offered, he let her go and opened his arms, "I'll take all you have to throw at me. But I need you to know that I didn't do anything with that woman. And everything that happened, and everything I said was for good reasons, even though I hate myself for hurting you, I did it because I didn't know what else to do."

If she acted as smart as he knew her to be, the smart thing to do would be to kick him the hell out of her life, but - didn't it say something about what a sick ass motherfucker he was that he wanted her to be incredibly stupid? Emily shook her head and tried to rush to the front door but Jasyn flew after her and caught her, the momentum taking them both into the wall and knocking her table and sending her beautifully placed trinkets smashing to the floor.

"I don't believe you!" she spat, her tear streaked face mutinous as she glared up at him, "you're a liar!"

"I am a liar!" Jasyn cried, "I'm a liar, a thief, a murderer and a miserable, hate-filled piece of shit but - damn it, Emily, stay still! I'm not lying about this; I'm not trying to make a fool of you!"

Emily stopped struggling and began to weep in earnest, Jasyn tried to hold her to him but she struggled, as weak as her resistance was it told him no, it told him she didn't want him and that he wasn't allowed to touch anymore.

"Emily, smell the truth from me!" Jasyn pleaded with her, it was then that a spark lit in her eyes and she looked at him dead set. Her tears stilled on her cheeks, Jasyn frantically touched her, stroking back her hair and touching his face. "Take them Were instincts you were born with and know that I am telling the truth. Don't rely on me, prove to yourself whether I'm lying or telling the truth!"

Emily looked torn, she sniffled and the sound was too damn adorable but Jasyn held himself steady and didn't rush to her, he knew she needed to work out whether or not she believed him.

"Why did you do it?" she said finally, her face red and her eyes puffy, she still looked like a queen to him. Jasyn scrubbed at his hair and run his hand over his face; he pushed himself away from her and knelt to pick up the causalities of their argument. Jasyn ran his fingers over a now badly chipped porcelain statue of two penguins; he set it up on the table beside a pair of brass swans who were entwined. The most badly damaged were the ones that wrung his heart, a pair of red tailed hawks, he smiled sadly.

"Did you get these before or after you found out you were a Were?" Jasyn asked softly, his eyes fixed on the small ornaments. Emily slid down the wall and crouched in front of him, sweeping the chips of marble and porcelain into her palm.

"Both," she whispered hoarsely and cleared her throat, "I found the hawks a week or so after I began transforming, I felt like it was fate. So I bought them, they remained in my home ever since."

"It's a surprising collection," Jasyn commented and was happy to see Emily's face lighten even if she did not smile exactly. In fact he was simply happy that they were talking, even if it was about inane things.

"A weird one, you mean," Emily said wryly and Jasyn looked at her, she placed the small statue of two barn owls beside a pair of wolves cuddling together, "can't you see the common theme?"

Jasyn scrutinised them, what the hell did barn owls, French angel fish, wolves and gibbon apes have to do with each other? Jasyn shrugged nonplussed.

"They all mate for life," Emily explained and her scent was ripe with sadness, Jasyn shifted closer, "I loved animals as a child. When I was in the orphanage and if the girls decided they didn't want to be my friend that day, I would sit in the playground and watch the pigeons for hours."

Emily tapped the figurines of two common pigeons.

"It always fascinated me, even before I became Were, why some animals mated for life and others didn't."

Emily began to gently sweep the rubble into a tiny pile when Jasyn caught her hand, he put his own on top and Emily felt his warm weight keeping her palm flat to the floor. He began to rub her hand, smoothing his palm over the back of it and stretching his fingers between the creases of her own. Emily felt warm tingles spread throughout her body and she glanced up to see Jasyn with his eyes closed, a look that was close to ecstasy on his face.

"Why did you do it, Jasyn?" Emily whispered to him, Jasyn opened his eyes but did not remove his hand, something Emily was glad of; she looked at him dead in the eye. "Why did you want to hurt me?"

"I was afraid," Jasyn admitted starkly, "God, it's so messed up!"

Jasyn pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes so hard he saw dark colours swirl before him; he linked rapidly when he lowered his hands.

"You got that right," Emily commented miserably when he looked at her.

"First I was just scared of being around you. The way you make me feel … the way I think when I'm around you. Damn you have no idea how … shit, I sound like such an asshole, but … you have no idea how traumatising it is to suddenly feel so different, and to want to _be_ different. All my beliefs just got turned on its head."

Jasyn pushed his hands through his hair again, "you have no idea what it feels to adore someone you think you should hate."

"Thanks a lot," Emily grumbled and sniffed a little, Jasyn picked her hand up off the floor and smoothed away the grit; he kept stroking it and massaging it, using his thumbs over the back of her hand.

"You know what I am, Emily," Jasyn said suddenly, he caught her eyes and she felt her throat tighten, he was so sincere and heart felt. "You know how much people hate me. If I was to start up something with you, you would be the first person my enemies would go after. I saw the way Arion came after you; he's set his sights on you. What kind of male would I be if I couldn't protect you from him? That's why I've never wanted to let people close to me - well, no," Jasyn added as an afterthought, "people just generally piss me off."

Emily let out a small noise that sounded like it could have been a laugh.

"But when you care about people it creates a weakness for everybody to see and for everybody to exploit. I thought if you hated me too, they would have no reason to ever some after you."

"Oh, Jasyn," Emily groaned with anguish as she realised that it had been a set up.

"I'm sorry but I had to make sure you were safe. I was falling too hard for you and I was caring too much about you. So I guess again my reasoning was as selfish as everything I've ever done in my life. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you and the pain I would feel, so I wanted to make you hate me."

"You bastard," Emily whispered vehemently, "you stupid, arrogant bastard!"

She whipped her hand away from him and her beautiful face frowned darkly at him, Jasyn wasn't sure if he had been expecting that.

"How dare you think you can make such a decision for me?" Emily was incensed and outraged and underneath all that strangely touched. "Damn it, Jasyn, it wasn't fair play!"

"Fair play doesn't count if it comes down to whether your life is at risk!" Jasyn snapped back and Emily was just a little bit overjoyed.

"I would have stayed, Jasyn!" Emily said emphatically, "I would have stayed with you. At Sanctuary. I would have been content to build a life with you there."

"Content isn't happy," Jasyn said definitely and she wanted to hit him for being so hard headed.

"Every relationship has its problems, besides it wasn't your decision to make," Emily reminded him forcefully, "I wouldn't have cared as long as I was with you!"

Jasyn tried to make his heart stay still but it was bouncing around like a mother-fucking jack in the box, it wanted to jump out of his throat and scream at her to say those words he longed to hear.

Jasyn ran his hands up and through his hair again, at this rate the stuff would fall out, he thought. Jasyn tried to not look at her and the expression on her face, she could break him and he knew it, kneeling like that opposite him, wanting comfort.

"What's changed?" Emily asked after a minute or so of silence, where both were lost in thought.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why have you suddenly had a crisis of conscience and told me the truth?" Emily sniped and Jasyn gave her a dirty look, and for a brief flicker of a moment it was almost as if they were back at Sanctuary.

"I'm thinking of going away," Jasyn muttered and saw the wounded look on her face, "I am going away."

"You're leaving me again?" Emily choked out and Jasyn wanted to gather her to him and fly them both away.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you, ah, Sanctuary's license has been revoked," Jasyn said edgily, "shit went down a few nights after you left and, ah, Nicolette and Aubert were killed."

Emily caught her shocked, hurt gasp in her hands as they cupped her mouth, her eyes looked anguished for seconds before they widened.

"It's not a Limani anymore?"

"No," Jasyn sighed, shaking his head, mores the pity for him.

"Oh no, Jasyn! Where will you go? Are there others?"

The worry in her voice was his undoing and he had to reach up and stroke at her satin cheek, she caught his hand and held it to her.

"There are. Not as good as Lo's place but … but I won't be going to them."

"Why!" Her eyes were frightened.

"I'm sick of hiding. I'm sick of a lot of things. I don't know what I'm going to do," Jasyn said, finally voicing just how confused and out of place he was feeling in the world. Many of the inhabitants at Sanctuary had scattered to other Limani's over the world and in different time periods, but some had stayed. Jasyn wasn't sure what he should do now.

"Stay with me," Emily said hopefully and Jasyn wanted with all his heart to say yes to her and her eager look. "Stay with me, Jasyn."

"I can't," Jasyn got to his feet and paced away from her, Emily got up too, her knees cracking from being on the floor for so long, she tripped her way over to him. She still hadn't the grace and elegance that he possessed but she had just as much spirit and fire to want to fight with him.

"Why not?" she demanded, grabbing his arm.

"Because I fear not being able to keep you safe!" he growled and Emily flung her arms around his neck and clung to him, Jasyn responded by hoisting her up his body and holding her off the floor. He buried his face in her neck and squeezed her tight against him; he moaned gloriously into her skin and rubbed his splayed hands up and down her back and sides.

"What if they come after me?" Jasyn whispered to her and felt her shake her head.

"Then we fight them together, or we run or we hide. But I don't want to be on my own, I don't want to be without you, Jasyn. I really don't."

Jasyn clamped his eyes closed and knew he was lost to her. He would stay with her and most likely bring all sorts of trouble to her, he might even be the reason she could get killed. But he would love her, as selfish as it was, and as pitiful as it was in exchange for all the hardship he would bring her, he knew that no one would ever love her the way he did.


	19. Chapter 19

**This Chapter is so not for the prudish … or for the faint-hearted. But remember all good love stories are equal parts passion - or so I'm told :)**

* * *

Jasyn lowered Emily to the floor and she slowly allowed her arms to fall to his chest, where her palm covered his heart.

"Okay," Jasyn agreed with a resigned yet happy sigh, he was happy that he had left the indecision behind and had a idea of what to do with the next … well, tomorrow.

"Okay," he kept his hand on her face, Emily let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes and pressed his hand against the side of her head. She heard him agree but she still looked at him as a flight risk, she needed to make him so happy that he never wanted to leave her. Emily touched his hard jaw gently with the tips of her fingers and saw him close his eyes with a smile on his face that told her just how much her touch was worth to him - and didn't that just make her feel like the most desired woman in the world!

When he opened his eyes again and pierced her with that brilliant emerald stare Emily's touch deepened just a tad and Jasyn obeyed her command by dipping his head and laying his lips on hers. His tenderness made her sigh gently and she felt her limbs go soft, her hands crept up to his sides and held him there while his cupped her head, one big hand firmly at her throat and his thumb pressed into her jaw bone, while the other speared her hair. His tongue slid lovingly across her lip and then stroked into her mouth, Emily pushed closer to him, delighting in the friction she felt on her peaked nipples from her shirt rubbing against his hard chest. He took his time kissing her, slow, long sips from her lips, he had his eyes closed in bliss for the most part, but Emily would sometimes open her eyes and see him staring at her. He would pull back now and again, his teeth scraping at her lower lip, which sent a shuddering thrill down her back and to lower parts of her body. Every time he did that thing of pulling back from the kiss, he would stroke at her face or her throat before changing the angle of the kiss.

"I want you so much," Emily whispered to him and he smiled, actually smiled and huddled closer, grinding his hips languidly into hers so she felt his hard length against her.

"I never thought I would get to have you," Jasyn murmured, dipping his head again so he could flick gentle licks over the vein in her throat. Emily cupped his head to her throat as a smile spread fast and wide across her face, she trailed her hand down his back and rubbed her palm firmly over the curve of his ass that was all too tempting in those jeans of his.

Jasyn laughed wickedly, his breath hot on her skin, she felt his kisses get harder as he pressed further down her neck and pushed at the V neck with his chin. His whiskers created an erotic friction against the top of her breast, she gasped when she felt his teeth sink into her flesh. Jasyn pulled back and stepped away from her, Emily could see the evidence of his arousal straining against the denim, she tried to go back into his arms but Jasyn held her off, smiling.

"Undress for me," he said hoarsely, the blush on his cheeks and the too bright fire in his eyes gave him the look of the fever. Emily shivered at his voice and felt a tell-tale dampness seeping into her panties.

"I want to see you first," she challenged and Jasyn's smile turned into a fully fledged grin, his hand went to his bulge and rubbed. Emily's mouth fell open and she gasped with him, Jasyn let his head fall back before he laughed and looked up at her again.

"Whatever you say," he whispered, before moving his hands north and whipping his t-shirt over his head. Emily put her hand behind her and grasped the back of a chair hard, his six pack rippled far too enticingly as he pulled the shirt free from his head and shoulders.

Shoulders! Emily had terribly erotic vision of her legs over those broad, wide things; Emily had always had a thing for nice broad shoulders. As if he knew what it would do to her, Jasyn rolled his head on his thick neck and then rolled his shoulders as if working kinks out of them. He threw his t-shirt at her and it hit her in the face before dropping, snapping her out of her trance, Jasyn laughed at her.

He trailed his hands down to his stomach and with another suggestive rub at himself, he nimbly flicked open the buttons on his jeans and dropped them around his ankles within seconds.

Commando!

Emily felt hot and dizzy at what she was seeing; she'd never been with a man that looked as beautifully constructed as Jasyn. At the sight of him she felt her heart rate begin to pound and her body grew so hot, she felt the only cure would be to strip down to her skin and lay herself on a block of ice. But that only fanned more fantasises, Emily saw Jasyn nostrils flare and his eyes flashed so bright they were no longer human.

"What?" Emily asked, her throat dry.

"I can smell your arousal," Jasyn said shakily as if he were having trouble holding back, he breathed deeply, "your need is … intoxicating."

Jasyn stepped out of his jeans and kicked them aside, he took one step closer so he was in the direct view of the sunlight.

"Does the lady approve?" He asked needlessly, Emily knew she was giving off a scent that said 'Hussy: Ready and Waiting', but she couldn't care less.

"She thinks she'll have to have a more hands on approach to be sure," Emily teased and Jasyn bit his lip sinfully, he backed away and held up his finger.

"Let me see what I've been longing for and maybe we'll come to an arrangement."

Emily laughed and began to unbutton her shirt starting with the last one first.

* * *

Oh … by … the … Gods …

Jasyn felt his brain short circuit as section after delicious section of glorious skin was revealed as Emily undid the buttons. His cock, which had been standing to attention from the word go, pumped and twitched as more of his woman was revealed. Without the aid of logical thought Jasyn realised it was best to find some support, he backed into a desk and perched his naked butt on it. His legs were spread wide and the massive erection between his thighs stood out before him, ready to go for hours. The rat bastard in Jasyn had him putting his hand on his cock and stroking himself as her shirt fell away from her, Jasyn's eyelids fell to half mast and he bit his lip when Emily's hands ran over her own breasts.

"Come forward a step," Jasyn said and Emily did, though her sparkling eyes questioned him, but Jasyn knew what he wanted. One step forward brought Emily directly into the fading sunlight falling through the slates made by skyscrapers all around her building; it bathed her skin in liquid gold and brought her hair to flame. She looked ethereal and magnificent, like the mythical phoenix personified, burning in it's glorious fire, Jasyn heart filled with joy and love, his body with lust and his soul with peace.

"Now the bottoms," Jasyn said, nodding to her grey trousers, Emily opened the front clasp and heard his gasp; she smiled and let her pants drop. Jasyn hissed at the sight of all that splendid flesh bare to him, her high, firm breasts cupped in a black lace bra with pale pink trim, Jasyn's strokes on his sex became firmer as his eyes travelled down to her matching panties. He began to pant and he saw Emily's mouth drop open as if she too felt short of breath.

Just when he was about to instruct her on how he wished her to lowly ease her panties down her legs, Emily slipped her hand between her legs and cupped her mound, Jasyn let out a curse that was incomprehensible and a mixture of two languages as he orgasmed all over his hand and thighs. He stroked himself until the rush subsided and opened his eyes to see Emily's face, her eyes were wide with shock and there was a blush on her cheeks. Jasyn felt ashamed of himself and wasn't sure what to do.

"I'm sorry," he said and Emily jerked out of her reverie, she shook her head.

"No, it's not -" Emily stuttered and blushed deeper, "I mean, you've just come and you're … still hard."

Jasyn looked down at himself then smirked wickedly before looking back at her, he leaned back, bearing his weight on his palms and thought of how empty that climax would seem in comparison to the one that he would have when finally inside her.

"That's what Were-Hunters do," Jasyn said smugly, he gave his erection a self-satisfied nod, "it takes a lot to … tire me."

Jasyn growled when the scent of Emily's arousal hit new heights and she shuddered as though having a mini climax of her own.

"I think you're in need of me, my female."

Emily was breathing heavily by the time she went for the front clasp of her bra, she kept her eyes locked determinedly with Jasyn's, as though to break the contact would be to fling away her last grip on reality. She let the two sides of her bra fall away and let her breasts fell free; she heard Jasyn growl low in his throat. Emily let her arms fall straight, her straps became loose and it fluttered off of her body, whispering lightly against her skin. Emily saw with relish that Jasyn's knuckles were white as he held tight to the edge of the desk. Emily tucked her thumbs into the front of her panties and dragged them down her thighs to her ankles, she took them off and feeling naughty threw them at Jasyn who caught them with impeccable reflexes, but still looked surprised at what he held. He looked at them and laid them neatly on the desk, he stroked his hand over the ribbons before looking at her, with what can only be termed devilment, in his eyes.

"A souvenir," he remarked with a quirk of his perfectly arched brows, Emily gave him a saucy look of her own.

"A souvenir implies that you'll only be staying for a little while," she said, playful as she was her heart gave a frightened lurch; Jasyn didn't say anything but he nodded to her couch.

"Go lay on the couch," he instructed and she did as she was told, her head sank into the plush pillows which she had chosen because they went so well with the colour and décor of the room. Now, however, the colour coordination was the furthest thing from her mind. She with thinking about a coordination of another kind as she rested her head in the softness that had been warmed by the sunlight streaming through the window. The sun had yet to set properly and just as Jasyn had wanted to see her bathed in it, she saw him, leaning on that desk, his feet planted firmly on the floor. His strong thighs twitching with the effort to keep under control, his biceps bulging as he laid all his weight on his arms. His silky blonde hair shimmered like silky feathers as he tossed it from his eyes, they were riveted on her, drinking her in, the intensity of that hot stare made her sex bloom for him.

Jasyn felt his throat tighten at the sight of her before him, one he never thought he would witness outside his dreams. The sunset had painted her gold yet her flesh was worth a million times more to Jasyn then that cold metal ever could, she was his everything.

"Jasyn," Emily whispered his name and he straightened on his feet, his legs were unbelievably shaky, he was nervous and excited and insensible with lust. He placed his knee on the couch between her thighs, the other was at her hip, his thick arms went under her and pulled her against his bare chest and held her tight. Her brilliant ruby hair fell over his arm as he pulled her weightless body closer to him and loved that she turned her face up to him, latching his lips on to hers, breath to breath. Emily's hands moved softly down his side and up his back then down to the small of his back where her nails dug in a little, Jasyn arched at the feel and it only made her do it harder. Jasyn lowered her back to the couch and went with her, his cock folded between their stomachs, creating a friction that brought him dangerously close to coming all over them. Emily reached between them and touched his cock; Jasyn lifted himself up on his arms and braced his weight as he swung his hips against her hand. He looked down to see the head of his sex slipping in and out of her fist, while the movement of his body caused her rounded, soft mounds to move with erotic motion. Jasyn stopped moving and keeping his eyes fixed on Emily's flushed face lowered his lips to her nipple, he caught it between his teeth and felt his body tighten when she gasped. Jasyn sucked gently on it and Emily responded by rolling her body and hips under him, she brought her hips up and her slippery sex made contact with his thigh. Jasyn closed his eyes to keep his orgasm at bay but with every suck and lick he gave to her breast, Emily's hand tightened on his cock. Jasyn drew her hand away from his arousal so she instead clung to his back, but that didn't stop the feel of her grinding herself against his thigh. Jasyn returned to her breast and pulled his thigh up so it was tight against her sex, Emily rubbed herself frantically against him until he felt her begin to shudder beneath him, her breathy pants came faster and louder. Jasyn smiled against her breast and drew back to see her tight nipples red and wet from his mouth. Jasyn reared back so he could look down at Emily, her flat, smooth belly contracted every time his fingers skimmed over her skin. She tossed her head back and forth moaning out his name, and didn't that just make him feel like one smug, bad ass, motherf -

"Jasyn!" Emily hissed out when his fingertips circled down to touch the top of her sex, Jasyn let a laugh rumble out of him before he shifted his body so he was in the cradle of her thighs. Jasyn felt Emily pull her legs wider to accommodate his bigger form, he felt her raise her hips and it brought her sleek, slippery wetness up against the blunt head of him. Jasyn's mouth opened on a soundless growl, he bared his teeth and his fangs elongated as his sex parted her and pushed in. Jasyn's body jerked and he let loose a growl as he felt Emily shuddering again as she experienced another orgasm. He waited for her to finish before pushing in further, she was hot, silky and slick and like nothing he'd ever experienced before.

"Oh, God!" he bit out between clenched teeth and Emily threw her head back as he filled her so agonisingly slowly, he stretched her almost lovingly and then he was truly inside her. He became still as if he were simply soaking up the feel of her, Emily arched to make him go deeper and dug her nails in tight at his back and shoulders. She locked her ankles over his body and began to pant, then slowly he moved, pulling out of her was excruciating and her nails scratched welts into his ass. Jasyn arched, his face an erotic mask of pleasure as he smiled when her nails continued to mark him. He pushed back into her and captured her lips hard and he then began to move in earnest, his muscles bunched and released under her hands, his hips plunging and retreating against hers. He pushed down hard on the couch and it creaked ominously but neither of them heard it, he continued to pound into her, causing her breasts to jiggle and her body to scream. Emily felt the next climax rip her body apart and each of his thrusts was met with her own, her tremors had just subsided when Jasyn stiffened, his clenched jaw tightened the relaxed as he came inside her.

Emily hadn't felt a man on top of her in a long while, and she had never experienced a man as heavy as Jasyn, he was like a slab of concrete over her but she relished the feel of him. Jasyn slowly pulled out of her, his breathing rapid and irregular as was hers, Jasyn squashed himself into the side of the couch so he could gather her into his arms. Emily felt his release trickling out of her but couldn't be bothered to get up and find a tissue, so she turned her head and kissed Jasyn's bare chest.

"Thank you," she heard him whisper, Emily grazed her teeth over his pectoral before looking up at him with heavy lidded eyes.

"No, thank you."

Jasyn waited for his heart to slow before shifting so he was laying half on top of her with his leg thrown over hers. He held himself up on his elbow so he could stare down on her. She was looking at him with bedroom eyes and Jasyn knew that just as he was getting hard again, she was getting aroused. He stroked her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead, her nose, her eyes and then a deep kiss on her lips. She nipped his lip as he pulled back and smiled at him saucily, Jasyn debated whether to push her into saying anything to him but he was feeling a little desperate to hear it.

"I got your note that you left on my window," he said softly, Emily, who had been sweeping her hands up and down his back, frowned with confusion.

"What note on your wind - oh! That note," she whispered suddenly comprehending, she laughed, "I didn't even realise I'd wrote that."

Jasyn felt his heart drop, hadn't she -? Didn't she … mean it?

"It was quite a personal little message," Jasyn prompted again and Emily smiled, stroking his hair and his ears.

"What did I write?"

Jasyn felt his stomach shrivel and his body grew cold, he shrugged and cleared his throat to stop him choking on his words.

"I can't rightly remember …" he said not meeting her eyes, she stroked his hair again.

"It doesn't matter," Emily said indifferently, "because you're here now and that's all I want. You know, you owe me big time!"

"Why?" Jasyn frowned at her and she popped him one on the shoulder, he laughed at her efforts to bruise him and she scowled darkly.

"For breaking my heart!" Emily scolded, "I think that's enough to make you owe me some serious TLC! I swear, you have not made falling in love easy, bird brain!"

Jasyn snapped his eyes to hers and blinked, "you … you're in love with me?"

Emily frowned at him as if he baffled her; she drew his head to hers so she could lay a slow, wonderful kiss on his lips.

"Would I have been so hurt if I wasn't in love with you?"

Jasyn allowed his forehead to rest on hers, feeling like he'd been blessed and cleansed by the gift of her love.

"I love you," he sang in her ear before kissing it, he pulled back to see Emily smiling beautifully at him.

_I love you too_, she mouthed because she was too choked up to talk, but that was okay with Jasyn because he knew she loved him and that was all he needed. Jasyn shifted around on the couch so he was under her and she was laying over him, her head and hand on his heart, just how it should be.

* * *

Sometime and a lot of lovemaking later Jasyn lay at the foot of the bed, propped up on his elbow facing Emily, who was leaning back against her stacked up pillows at the top of the bed. All pretence of modesty had left them, not that Jasyn had any to begin with, and the quilt was screwed up on the floor allowing them to revel in each others nakedness. Emily leant back against the pillows, she had one leg bent up and the other stretched straight out and she pretended not to see Jasyn looking hotly between her legs. What she couldn't fail to notice was the prominent hardening of his body, she smiled at him and he rubbed his hand over her thigh.

"What will happen to everyone?" Emily asked quietly, the effort to raise her voice to anything above a whisper was exhausting, plus it was pointless as a luxurious and glowing silence was all that could be heard.

"Happen to who?" Jasyn murmured distractedly, he didn't look up at her but kept his eyes fixated on her calf. He wriggled down in bed so he could rub his face against it, the tip of his nose trailing up to behind her knee as he nuzzled. Emily tried to keep still but found she was ticklish and burst out laughing; Jasyn lifted his eyes to her with a smile and just rested his hands on her legs.

"To everyone at Sanctuary?" Emily continued, her smile dimming as she thought of the danger they were all in now that they were without the Limani. Jasyn's eyes looked slightly troubled as he stared at her leg and traced patterns on her skin with the tip of his index finger.

"I don't know," Jasyn said finally, he flicked his air out of his eyes so he could lock his gaze with hers, his playfulness had gone and the serious Jasyn, the one she'd always been accustomed to, was back.

"Some may flee," Jasyn said he shrugged as if he didn't know and frankly didn't care, "some may stay behind out of some warped sense of loyalty to the Peltiers."

"What about you?" Emily asked, even though she didn't want to.

"What about me?" Jasyn retorted sharply and Emily shrugged, not wanting to voice what was troubling her.

"Will you stay?"

"With the Peltiers?" Jasyn scoffed, "I stayed and fought so that they could keep their precious Limani standing but I owe them nothing. Nicolette was a fool if she thought she could make me believe that we were ever more then a means to an end."

Emily felt her heart squeeze, she hadn't known Nicolette long but the bearswan had always been exceptionally kind to her.

"I don't mean with the Peltiers," Emily said, her words cutting through his ire like the swift chop of the hand through the gossamer threads of a spider's web. Jasyn's face instantly softened and he was looking at her through sparklingly warm eyes, shadowed by his darkly furrowed brows.

"With you?" he asked, there was a lightness to his voice that made him seem almost innocent as he spoke, Emily nodded.

"I'm staying," he stated.

Silence descended with the pair of them smiling lovingly at each other, Emily was the first to break eye contact and turn her face away. Jasyn didn't lower or turn his eyes away, he was quite happy to lay there merely watching her, but he knew the intensity of it would likely freak her out, so he allowed her that reprieve. The smile playing on her soft lips was just too fabulous to Jasyn, it made him want to crawl up to her and do things to her body which were considered thoroughly indecent.

"Are you hungry?" Emily asked and Jasyn smiled wickedly, causing Emily to roll her eyes, laughing at him, "for food?"

Jasyn made a so-so gesture and shifted his legs off the bed, Emily frowned.

"Where are you going?"

"You're hungry," he replied simply and Emily gaped.

"You fetch?" she gasped and Jasyn raised a haughty eyebrow at her, of course the whole I-am-not-amused demeanour was spoilt by the fact that he had a playful smirk on his lips. He stretched and yawned loudly, raising his arms above his head and giving Emily a view of him that was simply sinful. Emily loved how utterly unabashed he was by his nakedness, she had always been the same and it had only been Edward commenting on her strutting around in the nude that made her cover up.

"What do you have in your fridge?" he asked, with an amused look when he saw her clearly eyeballing his _ass_-sets and other areas too. Emily tried to clear her throat along with her mind, then realised that she had absolutely no interest in food.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she said and got up on her knees allowing the sheet to fall away, she shifted on her knees to the edge of the bed where Jasyn stood before her. Emily languidly raked her nails up his thighs, she laughed in satisfaction when she felt his skin break out in goosebumps.

"You're not?" Jasyn murmured, wilfully playing into her seduction, he stepped closer and cupped her face, "you look hungry."

Emily's eyes darkened with lust and Jasyn felt his rock hard erection twitch as if it wanted desperately to be noticed.

"Well, if you want to sate my hunger," Emily said, lowering her head so she could nip at his abs, she felt his stomach contract sharply at the contact, "just stay right here."

Jasyn let out a noise that sounded like a groan, "you so fucking got it."

Emily laughed, she had learnt that his bad language was usually an indicator of two things, when he was really pissed off or really aroused. By the way his erection was punching at her stomach she wasn't worried about guessing wrong. Emily bit at him again and heard him hiss out a curse, she laughed as she swirled her tongue delicately over the marks trailing down his abdomen, following the small line of hair that was like a sign post leading Emily towards his arousal.

Emily lowered her ass onto her heels so she was eye level with Jasyn's erection; she took a hold of him with a confident hand. Her thumb pressing pressure on his broad tip while her other hand stroked his shaft, Jasyn threw his head back and opened his mouth, letting out a straggled sound.

Emily smiled with satisfaction before removing her thumb so she could leisurely lick over and around the tip of him as though he were an ice cream cone. Jasyn hissed and jerked so violently that Emily almost lost her grip on him; she looked up at him with teasing eyes.

"Everything okay?" she asked and Jasyn nodded, gulping and trying to relax his dry throat. Emily lowered her head again and this time slowly took his entire length into her mouth, Jasyn lost all ability to see or hear clearly, he was in absolute ecstasy. Not once in his adult life had the act of sex been as awe-inspiring as it was with Emily. Sure, he'd had women go down on him before but never had it put tenderness and a thrill in him the way this did. With Emily he didn't want to finish quickly, he wasn't indifferent to whether he finished in her mouth or inside her. In his sexual experience, the women he'd taken had been whores by trade or whores by habit; he'd always considered what happened between himself and the women to be in some way rather dirty. There had been no feeling, no was-that-good-for-you's or do-you-like-it-this-way's. It had been push, ram, thrust, stiffen and out again, the pleasure had been so fleeting he wondered whether it was there at all. But Emily changed all that for him and tonight he felt like it was his first time, rather then those hundred of times before. Where he had never loved, liked or respected any of the women in his past, Emily had all three of those things from him. And what made him even tenderer towards her was not only the fact that she returned those things to him, but that she genuinely wanted to please him. To give him something and make something of these times together that was solely their own, devoid of the seediness and hollowness of casual sex in the back room of a bar. Jasyn speared his fingers kindly through Emily's beautiful, silky hair and gently thrust his hips in a rhythm as she suckled at him. Emily pulled back, her eyes half mast but utterly focused on her task that Jasyn judged she liked from the overwhelming scent of her arousal. She went for the heavy weights hanging under his cock and one by one sucked them into her mouth before running her tongue along the underside of his shaft. Jasyn could feel the pressure building in his shaft and knew it wouldn't be long before he came if she kept doing things like that. Emily straightened and before Jasyn could express to her what he felt, she cupped her ample breasts and moulded them around his shaft, working him between them. The sight of it caused Jasyn to moan and pant; he threw his hand out and caught the bars of the bedstead, gripping it so tightly he felt the metal begin to bend with his hand.

Suddenly the pretty white vase on Emily's dressing table shattered a moment before he did; Jasyn caught himself in time and wrenched himself from her. He fell back against the wall and worked himself with his hand, he was still hard even though he was spent and he looked at Emily through dazed eyes.

"I love watching you do that," she said sweetly, "you're so beautiful, you take my breath away."

Jasyn shook his head as he pulled away from the wall and went to her, she was one of the most intelligent and savvy creatures he'd ever known, but when she said things like that to him Jasyn seriously felt concern for her mental health … even if it did fill his heart with delight. Jasyn went to her, cupping her face and lowering his lips to hers, he sucked at her soft lower lip, taking the taste of himself from her mouth. When he pulled back she smiled at him and stroked a finger over his eyebrow, it gave him the tingles and made him shudder, Emily bit her lip, loving the feminine power she suddenly possessed.

"And you don't have to pull away from me when you … you know," she said pointedly and nodded down at his erect member, Jasyn smiled at her and didn't say anything. How could he tell her that he had done that act with those women he'd been with in the past? It had been the ultimate sign of their degradation and his debauchery that they had allowed him to spend himself over them. The memories filled him with self-loathing. No, he wouldn't ever allow Emily to be so treated; she was worth so much more to him. Jasyn knew he was being a bit uptight and Emily would likely roll her eyes at him if she knew why he didn't want to do that, but he knew she would also be disgusted. Besides, it was the major part of the attraction to her that she accepted him with his idiosyncrasies.

Jasyn crawled on to the bed beside her and sat crossed legged, he leaned back on his arms and gave his lap a nod, Emily smiled and took the hint. She slipped into his lap and locked her legs tightly around his waist; Jasyn loved this position, being able to look up into her eyes as he took her. He did just that, he didn't allow her to break their gaze as he cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her so that she settled over his cock. She made that beautiful noise as he entered her and her flushed cheeks made her eyes glow, he held her tight to him and watched her expression of joy and ecstasy as she began to ride him.

Emily hissed as she felt Jasyn's cock part her sex and enter her smoothly, from this position he was filling her deep and stretching her wide. Emily had never done this position with Edward who had only been her second lover in her life; in fact Jasyn was the most exciting, passionate lover she had ever experienced. And everything about the men in her life before now was bland and boring compared to her hawkswain. Jasyn tightened his arms around her so her breasts were pushed up against his chest and he bent his head to lick at whatever part of them he could reach. Emily knew she would not be able to last long and within minutes of their play she was arching her back and crying out Jasyn's name. At his release Jasyn groaned Emily's name before his whole body went to water and he lifted her lightly and laid her back against the pillows. He went down with her, his body still locked inside hers and he rested his face in her hair.

"Mmm, Jasyn," she whispered sleepily and closed her eyes; Jasyn pulled out of her slowly and dropped carefully to her side, tucking himself against her back. He knew sleep would cause him to shift but he would wait until it snuck up on him and forced him to change rather then willingly let her sleep without his arms wrapped around her.

"I love you, baby," he breathed in her ear and tightened his arms, resenting the fact that he could feel sleep taking over him already.


	20. Chapter 20

Jasyn pulled out of Emily for, like, the umpteenth time that night, they were both sweaty and exhausted by the endless bouts of love-making and in desperate need of a shower. Jasyn inched himself out slowly, he felt Emily's body tighten around him and laughed, kissing her stomach lightly before falling to her side with a satisfied, if not tired, smile on his puss.

"I should definitely go for a shower now," Emily groaned, with her eyes closed she turned on her side so she was facing Jasyn.

"Yeah, you are kind of a mess," he teased and loved the answering grin forming on her mouth.

"Courtesy of you," she reminded him and Jasyn felt like doing a bit of a He-man, beating on his chest kind of thing.

"Which I take pride in."

Emily opened her eyes and as she opened her mouth to speak her stomach growled, she laughed with embarrassment and hid her face in the sheet.

"Oh my God, that was shameful," she said laughing, "how do you feel having a slob as a girlfriend?"

"Fine. If you can handle a psychotic manic with a fetish for your body as a boyfriend," Jasyn replied.

He got out of the bed and held out his hand to her, Emily took it and he pulled her up so quickly she hit his chest. Jasyn wrapped his thick, strong arms around her and held her there, leaning down so he could affectionately kiss her forehead.

"Come on," he yawned, "let's go scavenge for food."

Emily followed him out into her living room where she picked up his t-shirt that had been left there earlier in the evening and put it on. It was huge on her, falling to her knees and it was cold but it was still soaked in Jasyn's scent which she loved.

"I don't think there's going to be a lot in the fridge," Emily called out to Jasyn, she declined to mention that since coming back from New Orleans she had lived on take out food and all the sweet things she could get her hands on that would substitute for chocolate.

Jasyn looked around the wall into the living room and became still when he saw Emily picking up their clothes and folding them while wearing his t-shirt. It caused his heart to idiotically melt in his chest; Jasyn cursed himself for being such a nancy. He went to the fridge and looked inside, she was right, there was hardly anything there. Jasyn frowned, what the hell was she living on?

"Eggs, milk, one onion, small lump of cheese and some mushrooms," Jasyn frowned and looked in the cupboard, he found some flour and a little bit of syrup.

"Well it's either omelettes or pan … cakes," Jasyn trailed off as he sniffed at the milk which had curdled, he shook his head.

"We're having omelettes," he called out and began set about making something for them to eat, Emily came up behind him.

"Need help?"

"No, that's okay," Jasyn said whisking up the eggs, "your milk has turned though."

"Yeah, I have to go shopping at some point this week." Emily twitched her head and watched his single minded concentration on his task.

"You like cooking, don't you?" she asked and Jasyn stopped whisking to look at her, he glanced down at the bowl then at her again and shrugged.

"Well, you look like you do," Emily commented and Jasyn frowned as if confused.

"Do I?"

Emily chuckled, "don't you know whether you like it? What do you like, Jasyn?"

Jasyn chuckled then but it was edged with sadness, "I can hardly remember. I've lived so long just existing that I never really had anything I liked to do or eat or …"

Emily came up beside him and placed her hand comfortingly against his hip; she leant up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Then we'll find something. We can find out together."

Jasyn put the bowl down on the table so he could turn to her and instead of kissing, he lowered his face to hers so he could rub against it and nuzzle. Taking her hand in his he brought it up so he could brush a kiss over it.

"I'd like that," he murmured holding her hand over his heart, "I don't think I'll ever be easy to live with, but -"

"I'm not asking you to be," Emily interrupted him quickly, she brushed at his hair, "just borrow parts of my life and see if between the two of us we can make it all work out."

Jasyn's smile was slow to come but when it did there was a touch of mischief in it, "well, I know I like sex," he said matter of factly.

"Oh yeah?" Emily chuckled, "I never would have guessed."

She pulled some plates and glasses out the cupboard and then went to the living room so she could make room on her small table for their food.

Jasyn reached for the kettle to move it off the stove and found it scalding hot, he drew his hand back sharply shaking it.

"Fuck it!" he hissed to himself, frowning when he heard something drop in the living room, "did you stub your toe?" he called out when he heard Emily curse.

"No, my damn hand!" she grumbled back and Jasyn froze, he glanced at the kettle.

"It's not boiling!"

He rushed to the arch that led through to the living room and smacked into Emily.

"Ow! What's wrong with you?" she said shaking her head, then held up her right hand, palm up, "this just happened."

Jasyn clenched his own fist that was hanging down at his side and lowered his eyes to her palm; in the centre was a symbol of unity. An emblem of their two ancient lineages that had been combined and boldly told them that they were now tied to each other until the end of time. Emily felt worry bubbling in her stomach at the look on Jasyn's face, she made her hand into a fist and Jasyn abruptly took hold of it. She watched his face that was nothing short of loving as he smoothed back her fingers so he could stare in silent wonder at the symbol again.

"Oh God, this isn't a sign that I got the Were version of an STD, is it?"

Jasyn burst out laughing and he raised his own hand so she could see that he too had the exact same markings on his hand, it reminded Emily of a henna tattoo.

"It means we're mated," Jasyn said finally in a would-be casual voice that didn't completely conceal his joy. With the merest trace of a shrug he let her hand go and turned back to his eggs with a stupid smile on his face in spite of him trying not to look like such a nancy.

"Mated?" Emily rubbed at her palm and tried to think of something intelligent, if not logical to say. Damn it, she was a doctor! She was a reasonable, logical creature - Emily let out a small excited giggle, logical her ass!

"Oh my God, I can't believe I'm mated to you," she whispered and Jasyn looked over his shoulder at her, Emily looked up at him and frowned. Jasyn set aside his task aside and turned down the flames under the pan, he leant against the counter with his arms folded over his chest, waiting for the questions.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" she asked almost as if she were accusing him, Jasyn laughed at her.

"You're blaming me that we got mated?" he laughed both shocked and defensive.

"No, no, of course not," Emily assured him quickly, "it's just that … I mean, I completely forgot everything to do with mating and what not. But I mean -"

Emily grabbed her hair looking a little disorientated, Jasyn quickly pushed her into the living room and on to a couch, he knelt in front of her, his hands on her knees.

"What's the problem?" he asked, hoping that it was simply shock and not regret.

"I … I, I'm … not sure," she said finally and Jasyn nodded sombrely before speaking.

"Are you upset about it?" he asked and Emily immediately threw her arms around his neck. "Absolutely not!" she protested, "I love you and I want to be mated with you. I just …"

"What?" Jasyn asked eagerly, needing to know.

"This is going to sound -"

"Just say it."

"I kind of feel like I've trapped you," she said lamely and a little apologetically, Jasyn blinked before beginning to howl with laughter. He laughed so much that he had to hold a cramp that had started in his side; he lowered his head onto her knees trying to master his persistent giggles.

"You slay me sometimes, girl!" he said and gave a breathless chuckle, he looked up to see her giving him a disgruntled glare and he found he just had to kiss it off her face.

"Emily, you're still thinking like a human," he told her, "you can't trap a Were into a relationship that way, you have no control over the way the Fates will mate you, it just happens."

Jasyn let out a burst of laughter again and shook his head, "I'm just glad that we are."

"What would happen if we weren't mates?" Emily wondered out loud and Jasyn shrugged, "I mean, is there some kind of organisation that says you can be with a person you're not mated with?"

"Emily, listen to me," Jasyn said slowly, "we are not human. We don't have organisations … or many rules for that matter. We live in a harsh and lawless world … but nothing, and I mean nothing, can part us, especially now."

Emily's face softened so angelically that Jasyn felt his breath catch, "This mark doesn't tell us that we belong together … we did that on our own, or you did, shall I say."

Emily smiled, "yes, you were stubborn," she whispered, brushing his hair back.

"The mating mark just tells us who the fates think we should be with. Had it not appeared my love for you wouldn't have dimmed or been any less. Being mated doesn't guarantee love, we were just very lucky."

Emily sighed happily, she cupped Jasyn's neck and smiled at him, "what would I do without you?"

"Probably have a nice, easy life," Jasyn muttered in a self-deprecating way, Emily let him go so he could stand up.

"Good thing I'm down for the wild side then, huh?" she muttered and watched his ass muscles move and he walked back to the kitchen.

* * *

Arion kept his eyes fixed on the car below him as it rolled to a stop, he circled and watched as one of the men got out, he waved to the driver and jogged up the steps to an ordinary house. The car took off and Arion swooped down, aiming for a windowsill, he landed neatly and silently and peered through what appeared to be a kitchen window above the sink. From this vantage point he saw the fridge and a table and chairs and an open door that led into a varnished floored hallway. He could hear talking but just so he didn't miss anything Arion took human form and moved around the house's exterior, coming to a stop where the voices were loudest and peering in through that window. The living room, there were two men in there. One was fiddling about with the remote for the TV, while the other sat on the arm of a chair and talked.

"Do you think I should have followed her?" Aaron worried his bottom lip.

"Who?" Jay asked distractedly and Aaron snorted with disgust.

"Emily, of course," he grumbled, "don't you ever listen to me? I called her and she said she was fine, that everything had been 'sorted out'. But … I don't know …"

Jay threw the remote on to the couch and let the batteries scatter and roll, his frustration with them had boiled over, he took a fortifying breath and turned to his boyfriend.

"Aaron, Emily is a smart woman," he said trying to placate his anxiety ridden lover, "she knows not to get into things she can't handle. Plus, she's a Were-hawk now, if she can't handle it, I'm not sure what we can do that she can't."

"True," Aaron hedged and Jay put his hands on his hips sighing.

"Stop being such a worry guts, you'll give yourself wrinkles," Jay said and Aaron smiled reluctantly, "what did this guy say he wanted anyway?"

"The tape."

"She told us there was nothing on it," Jay muttered, he and Aaron's eyes connected and he suddenly looked worried, he held his chin.

"You don't think she's do something stupid, do you?" Jay said slowly, Aaron narrowed his eyes.

"Like what?"

Jay made a how-should-I-know gesture with his hands and then let his arms drop to his side in a flap.

"You don't think she'd deliberately expose herself, do you?"

"No way!"

"I mean, to get even with this Jasyn guy?" Jay held his chin tighter and began to pace, he stopped and spun to Aaron wringing his hands.

"What if -"

Aaron got up immediately and went to Jay, he put his hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Breathe, Jay, breathe," Aaron instructed before pulling him into a hug, "she's not stupid, she wouldn't be so foolish as to take on this guy by herself. Let's just … we'll call her first thing tomorrow morning. Better yet we'll go round to see her."

"Yes," Jay said with relief, he burrowed into Aaron's shirt, "yes, that's what we'll do."

Jay hugged Aaron back but found that, for all his reasonable talk, his shoulder and back were stiff with tension.

Arion backed away slowly, not wanting to witness them kiss, and took off into the air.

* * *

Emily shut the door behind her and followed swiftly after Jasyn, he was trying to avoid this conversation at all costs and she was not going to let him.

"Well, why not?" Emily demanded, "what's the big deal about having a wedding?"

"We're not human, Emily," Jasyn said in a weird sing song way that had a bite of impatient in it, he tried to escape her by fussing with the coffee pot but she just followed him around the kitchen.

"So what?" she scoffed, dumping her bag of groceries on the countertop, "does that actually matter? You said there were practically no laws in our world, so what says we can't have a human wedding because we're not human?"

"I'm half the wedding party and I refuse to be a participant," he said defiantly and saw her face darken. As sick as it was he rather liked not giving Emily her own way just to see her temper. If he wound her up enough so that she tried to hit him, Jasyn thought he was likely to go up like a Roman candle. Jasyn grabbed the milk while she threw the bread into the breadbin.

"So this is all about you?" she said, passing him the eggs then sticking her hands on her hips.

"Emily, you have no family. I have no friends or family and most people hate me! Can you imagine what a wedding of ours will be like?"

He shoved the eggs in the fridge, probably breaking two at least.

"There is no rule that says you have to have a certain quota of people in one place before you can get hitched!"

"The Were-Hunter mating ritual is more meaningful and more binding then anything we could do in a church, before a human priest!"

"I was raised human and Catholic and I want a human wedding," Emily said stubbornly, she ended the discussion by walking out of the kitchen and calling over her shoulder, "no wedding, no mating."

Jasyn was about to pour milk into a mug while shaking his head, he couldn't believe he was arguing with her and was actually making her coffee at the same time. Then her words registered, Jasyn left everything on the counter and rushed into the living room, catching her before she could traipse into the bathroom to get away from him.

"Oh no you don't!" he said and swung her around, "what's all this? We are mating!"

"Not before I get my wedding," Emily said, poking her face into his, thrilled when she saw his eyes flash dangerously, she adored it when he got all worked up.

"It could take weeks to organise a wedding!" Jasyn snapped angrily and getting even worse when he realised she thought it was funny, "we only have three before I become Sir Limp-a-lot and you the Barren Lady!"

"Well, I suggest you get cracking on finding us a church!"

"Mating is more important then that!"

"Oh, so what about the fact that we are living in sin?" Emily crossed her fingers and hoped Jasyn didn't know enough about Christianity to know that sex before marriage was also forbidden. Jasyn grabbed his temples in frustration.

"Are you listening to yourself?" he demanded and grabbed her by her upper arms and shaking her, Emily felt her sex bloom for him and recognised, by the look on his face, the moment he noticed.

His eyes burnt green fire the moment before he crashed his lips down on hers and propelled her back towards the couch.

"Mating," he persisted, unbuckling his belt.

"Marriage," Emily argued breathlessly, pulling her jacket off, Jasyn took her hard down on the couch and pushed his hands between her legs. Her panties were damp under her skirt and it was all Jasyn needed to add fuel to his flames, he flashed them both naked, earning him an awe-inspired gasp from Emily which got him friskier then he could have imagined.

The head of his sex touched her slickness but didn't penetrate, Emily groaned and arched her back, and it had Jasyn rolling his hips furiously against her, desperately seeking home.

"Mating," he panted, sweat beading on his skin, his stiff arousal, hard as iron, parted her slick flesh and moved in half way. Emily almost shredded his back with her nails, her mouth opening in a soundless gasp and she rolled her head back and forth.

"Marriage," she said, struggling for breath, Jasyn pushed in hard and began to pound, it was fast and furious and Emily loved it.

"Mating," he growled, pulling his hips back so far that only the head of his cock remained inside her just as she was about to climax, Emily screamed madly.

"I don't care," she screeched and Jasyn thrust hard into her, a wide grin of triumph on his face which turned into a look of ecstasy as he joined her release soon after.

Emily had her head turned to the side and resting on the arm of the couch, Jasyn was still on top of her and inside her. He was kissing at her throat, exactly where his face had fell when he had orgasmed, and he hadn't moved since. He just shifted every now and then so he could bring his hand up between them to cup and play with her breast, but other then that he seemed content to lie upon her all night, feasting on the flesh of her neck. Emily had her eyes closed for the most part but a breeze was floating in from somewhere and it touched her bare skin, drying the sweat and making her cold, she shivered and opened her eyes. They locked on to the wide open window behind the couch, her sleepy eyes didn't at once register what she was seeing then she frowned.

"Did you leave the window open?"

There was a muffled noise that caused ticklish vibrations against her skin, Jasyn raised his head.

"What?"

"I said, did you leave the window open?"

Jasyn shook his head with a frown then looked over to the window and she felt tension immediately tighten his shoulders. Jasyn got up off of her and Emily groaned, half because of the relief that his weight had lifted and half because she wanted him to stay exactly where he was. He stalked naked to the window and lent out, there was a sudden sound of wolf-whistling and female shrieking from below.

"Get away from the window!" Emily demanded jealously but Jasyn took no notice, he brought his face close to the frame and sniffed then backed up, bringing the window closed as he did. He turned to her, his face white with livid rage, Emily stood up frightened.

"What?" she demanded at once and Jasyn came back, he looked wired and murderous, like the first time she saw him.

"Arion," he whispered furiously, "his scent is on the pane."

"Oh, shit!" Emily hissed and went to walk over to it; Jasyn caught her arm before she got very far.

"I don't want you over there," he murmured, Emily watched Jasyn's face; she could tell he was thinking hard.

"What do you think he wanted?" she whispered and Jasyn pierced her with a look so intense that Emily felt her limbs get shaky, like a deer caught in the head lights.

"You."

"Me!"

"I'm sure of it," Jasyn hissed, he looked like he wanted to kill, "ever since he first laid eyes on you, he seemed to be taken with you."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be without torturing the bastard until he tells me!"

"What do we do?" Emily asked, her voice steady and low, Jasyn looked at her and was proud that she wasn't some ditz that went to pieces.

"Maybe I should go out and try to track him," Jasyn muttered, more to himself then her. He felt like he needed blood right then, the thought of Arion trespassing on his turf, trying to steal his woman was enough to make him go completely insane if he didn't have revenge some how.

"And if he comes back?" Emily asked reasonably, Jasyn went deep in thought.

"Well, I'll wait to track him, I'll take you to Sanctuary and -" Jasyn kicked the couch in frustration; Emily jumped then raised her brow at him.

"Quite finished, are you?" she said sweetly and Jasyn gave her a foul look along with a foul curse.

"I can't take you to Sanctuary because it's not a Limani anymore so he could just flash right in and get you! I can't leave you here because he would just come back and take you! Shit, shit, shit!"

Emily sighed with frustration, "stop being so pessimistic!"

"Well, how do you expect me to feel? I mean, what am I supposed to do with you?"

Emily punched him in the shoulder hard, enough to make Jasyn rub at it.

"I'm not a damned carpet bag that you can't find room for in your closet!" she cried indignantly, "we knew things like this would happen sooner or later with you no longer being at Sanctuary. We need to think this through calmly and rationally."

"Hmm," Jasyn sighed with irritation, "so what do we do?"

"Well, I think we should stay here," Emily said, "if anything we could try and set a trap for him."

"He'd see it coming," Jasyn said immediately and Emily clucked her tongue thoughtfully.

"Perhaps from you, but not from me," she said, Jasyn's eyes flashed with cunning, "if he thought you had left for whatever reason and I were alone, then it might work."

"Maybe …" Jasyn muttered thoughtfully, he looked at her suddenly, "where did you ever learn to be so conniving?"

"I have no idea; I'm guessing it may just be an innate characteristic."

Jasyn laughed evilly, "I like that."


	21. Chapter 21

"Shouldn't you be trying to stay out of sight?" Emily said as she sat upon the couch. For good measure they had dragged it into the middle of the room, facing the fireplace. Though it was still in plain view of the windows and door, it was strategically placed to offer the best defence in Emily's cluttered apartment. Jasyn threw her a dirty look before stalking into the kitchen for food, Emily sighed and shook her head at him, at this rate they would do Arion a favour and kill each other. Arion hadn't shown up all of last night and to set their plan into motion Jasyn had taken his bird form and deliberately flown from her apartment window to make it look as if she had been left on her own. He then landed somewhere and flashed himself back to her and they spent the rest of the day waiting for Arion to turn up and set the plan rolling. It was approaching six o clock and still they hadn't seen hide nor hair of him, which was making Jasyn edgy and grumpy, which in turn was driving Emily insane.

"This isn't like him," Jasyn said darkly as he leant against the archway leading through to the kitchen, "he should have been here by now."

Jasyn bit into his sandwich and chewed moodily, his eyes constantly scanning the sky outside the window.

"Maybe we made a mistake?" Emily suggested, looking up from her magazine in time to see him throwing her an especially grim look, she raised her brow at him haughtily.

"Babe, I don't make those kind of mistakes," Jasyn replied arrogantly.

"I hope the water hasn't started drying," Emily whispered about to get up and check when Jasyn cursed.

"Will you just sit down, I checked it a few minutes ago!"

Emily was about to say something biting and sarcastic when a clicking near the door was heard, Emily stared at it then at Jasyn who backed out of the line of sight from the door. Heart pounding like it wanted to win best ticker of the year award, Emily turned back to face the fireplace, her body hunched over her magazine which was holding her glock in the creases of it's pages.

There was a shifting in the air that let Emily know someone had just flashed into her apartment behind her, breaching the magical security that Jasyn had around the place. Emily mentally counted the steps it would take for him to reach the water that had been puddled behind the couch. When her sensitive hearing picked up the subtle change in Arion's footsteps, letting her know he had stepped into the puddle she turned lightening fast.

"What the -" the guy behind her muttered to himself, looking down at his wet shoe.

"Now!" Emily shouted and Jasyn threw an electric cable on to the water, it had been the cable to her hairdryer which he had cut off and deliberately tampered with so that the inner wires were exposed. The exposed wires hit the water, Jasyn had been handling it with gloves because live electricity was running through it The shock that it sent out into the Were-Hunter behind her threw him off his feet and had him flashing back and forth from Were to human form. Emily was about to get off the couch when she saw more Were-Hunter's, none of which were Arion, appear in her apartment. Emily raised her gun, took aim and popped off a couple of rounds at the Were that was running towards her, he went down and stayed in human form. Jasyn had already leapt from his hiding place in the kitchen and launched himself into the crowd, he was in bird form and using his talons to efficiently blind the assassins. Emily wasn't sure what to do for the best, Arion wasn't among the group and Jasyn was all on his own out there, she wanted to start firing but it was likely that she would hit the flying form of her mate. Suddenly there was a ripple in the air behind her and before she could move or shout, strong arms wrapped themselves around her, trapping her arms to her side. Emily screamed and felt herself get flashed out of her apartment.

Emily blinked and felt the arms around her loosen, she pushed herself away from her aggressor and turned quickly to give him a hard shove. He stumbled back slightly but was otherwise unconcerned by her retaliation, his hard face remained impassive. Emily suddenly realised she had been taken out of her apartment and out of New York, judging by the scenery beyond the window pane. A scarlet sun was beginning to set on an oceanic horizon while strong waves broke over an iridescent reef and sea creatures played in the clear surf. The room in which she stood was equally as majestic, the huge, circular room was flooded with ruby light courtesy of the ceiling to floor windows spanning the length of the walls. The rays of light spilling in from outside caused the burgundy and gold interior to look like the inside of a furnace, and Emily with her crimson hair, looked like a solitary flame standing amongst it all. With a sudden spurt of fear Emily realised that there were more people in the room then she had first noticed. She was standing in the centre of the room, surrounded by a circular table with an animal or human from every breed of Were-Hunter. This, Emily deduced, was the Omegrion.

"Oh shit," she whispered before another flash of light had her jumping back with fright, Emily let out a noise of utter relief when Jasyn appeared. Her noise, however, was drowned in the cacophony of curses and cheer from the Katagaria and Arcadians present.

"What the hell is going on?" Jasyn demanded, his eyes looking over the heads of the table dwellers to a man that sat off to the side, he was on a high throne which reminded Emily of a lifeguards chair at the pool. Though handsome and physically captivating Emily sensed power emanating from this man and desperately wanted to tell Jasyn to mind his manners when speaking to him.

In fact if it were her she'd grovel.

Emily wasn't sure what he was but from his scent she could tell he was not a Were-Hunter, but was in fact more powerful then them all put together, apparently he was hosting this party. The man simply smiled evilly, one tanned finger idly stroking his neatly trimmed goatee while his other hand languidly beckoned someone forward. Unnoticed in the shadows a man stepped forward, Emily gasped and Jasyn growled, abruptly swept Emily to his side: it was Arion.

Arion flashed himself into the centre of the room with them, though not too near.

"Bastard!" Jasyn snarled and would have stepped forward if it hadn't been for Emily's restraining hand.

"This woman had violated the laws of the Were-Hunter race," Arion announced to the room, pointing at Emily who shrank back against Jasyn. "She has exposed us all by not only making a video tape of a Were-Hunter transforming, but sharing her secret with three human males."

The room sounded like a swarm of angry bees as the inhabitants began to mutter amongst one another.

"I also charge Jasyn Kallinos with conspiracy to her crime, and for not acting in the best interest of his race by allowing this woman to live, therefore exposing us all to the knowledge of humans."

The buzzing grew louder and Jasyn's grip on Emily tightened, he pulled her behind him, Emily knew it was meant to protect her but as far as she was concerned they were surrounded with no where to hide.

"Well, Hawks," the man on high said with amusement, "how do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Jasyn growled, his eyes fixed on Arion but Arion smirked smugly.

"I have evidence confirming their exposure," Arion stated to the amused crowd, Emily looked sideways at Jasyn and he at her, she could tell he was thinking the same thing as her. They watched incredulous and horrified as Arion produced the tape from Emily's camera, that had Jasyn's sensational attack and transformation on it.

"This tape proves," Arion continued, waving the tape slightly above his head, "that the slayer, Jasyn Kallinos, allowed himself to be caught on video camera, transforming from his Were form to his human form, and committing an unprovoked attack upon Arcadians."

He threw it on to the table before the Lykos Rep. Vane Kattalakis, who looked up at the sentinel with ill-disguised loathing, before carrying on.

"This tape was found at the home of Emily McLean, an Arcadian hawkswan, who should have destroyed the tape once she knew what was on it."

There was an outbreak of disagreeable muttering from all around the table and Emily knew it did not bode well for them.

"How do you plead now?" Savitar asked, his face serious and Jasyn sent him a furious, accusatory stare. Savitar knew everything, he knew past, present and future, he knew the unpleasant thoughts Jasyn was having in his head right now about him. If he let Emily go down for something like this then he was the no good scum that a lot of the Omegrion accused him of being. Savitar raised an displeased eyebrow at Jasyn and Jasyn looked unrepentant when he spoke out loud to the representatives, half of whom wanted to see him dead.

"Still not guilty!" Jasyn barked, "and I want a chance to defend myself and my mate."

Jasyn watched Arion's face go from smug to shocked, then to downright enraged, the rest of the animals and humans around the table were in states of disbelief that they had heard, from Jasyn's lips no less, that he was mated. Even worse, to an Arcadian!

Jasyn shifted his hand behind him and took hold of Emily's hand, hoping that his touch would keep her from being so frightened as he wound his fingers firmly between hers, he felt her other hand clasped tightly over the one she held.

"Speak your piece," Savitar said with a generous sweep of his hand as though he were offering Jasyn the floor. Jasyn swallowed before opening his mouth, he hadn't ever been one for making speeches, he tightened his grip on Emily to keep her close.

"What Arion said is true," he began but before he could get out another word there was an eruption of rage and curses from the Arcadians.

"Then your sentence should be death!" Anelise Romano shrieked and was backed by many of the other Arcadians, even some of the more impartial ones who were made less so because of his reputed past misdeeds.

"You have exposed us all!" cried the aged Arcadian bear, Jasyn felt Emily's hand tug at his and it was then that he noticed her step out from behind him.

"You wish to speak?" Savitar looked down upon Emily almost benignly, Emily nodded.

"It - it's true that the tape contains incriminating footage of Jasyn," Emily began calmly, though her hand shook in Jasyn's. "I was the one who shot it and I am the one who should be held accountable in that respect but -"

Emily held up her hands anticipating the next upsurge of noise before it happened.

"Jasyn didn't know that I had caught him on camera at the time," Emily carried on hurriedly, as though she wanted to justify their actions with all the facts before the table could demand another execution.

"He was under attack at the time by Arcadians, when he did finally see that I was filming he attempted to kill me."

Jasyn felt a deep sense of shame at her words, the idea that he had tried to kill her was rather abhorrent to him now, even if he was hell bent on it at the time.

"He was prevented from doing so and when he returned to try and get the tape again he listened to why I had it in the first place."

Emily explained the entire situation to the eager but slightly disbelieving crowd that seemed to be interested in the story in spite of themselves. She told them about having no idea of the Were-Hunter world, of blackmailing Jasyn into helping her, of never in her wildest dreams realising that there was more Were-Hunters out there and that they had laws against exposure.

Emily talked and talked until she became hoarse but Jasyn admitted her story was, though highly farfetched, entirely plausible in their world.

"Had I been properly looked after as a child, I wouldn't have grown up in ignorance and involved us all in potential exposure in the first place," Emily began to conclude logically. "Had it not been for Jasyn I would have very likely caused more damage to others and myself … he never knew the extent of information I'd passed on to my three human friends who, by the way, are very discreet - I mean, its not like anyone will believe them anyway."

She gave what she hoped was a winning and charming chuckle which soon died when no one joined her, she gave Jasyn a despairing look.

"Tough crowd," he said consolingly, though still amused by her efforts and touched by her fervent defence of him. The table was immersed in stunned silence and so was Savitar, though that was due to him leaning on the arm of his throne, pulling indifferently at his eyebrow while staring wistfully at dark waves.

"And …" Fury begun but seemed to struggle with words, "you actually ended up mated?"

"Hey, I didn't see you getting an easy ride when you met your mate, wolf," Jasyn snapped back defensively.

"Yeah, but my situation was difficult," Fury said before adding in a mutter, "not impossible."

Jasyn rolled his eyes, he could tell that the Katagari and Arcadian communities combined were having trouble with his … biracial marriage for want of a better phrase. They could not comprehend that a devout Arcadian hater could end up standing trial for protecting one, who he was now mated to.

"Are we forgetting the point?" Arion snapped suddenly to the crowd, "he still allowed the tape to remain intact, a clear violation of Were-Hunter law!"

"Jasyn did come back to destroy it!" Emily assured them quickly, she looked up at him for support and Jasyn nodded, even though it had been a lie.

"I came back to get the tape and take all evidence on it away, but we got caught up with …"

Jasyn trailed off and looked at Emily who was blushing to the roots of her hair.

"With making up?" Dante supplied wagging his eyebrows and Jasyn scowled at him, then at the general jeering from the rest of the Katagari males, Arion looked outraged.

"Enough wolf whistling from the wolves," Savitar called out lazily, "can you all hurry up and take a vote? All those in favour of a guilty verdict?"

"Before you vote," Jasyn said suddenly, stepping forward, "Emily had no knowledge of her wrong doing … I did. Therefore any punishment you wish to hand to my mate, in the event that you do find her guilty, I wish to be passed on to me."

Jasyn stepped back to see Emily giving him a horrified look, if they ever got out of this she'd kick his ass. However, the imminent threat of them being parted from each other and he being sentenced to death simply had her holding on to him for dear life.

Jasyn watched tensely as hands went up, nearly all the Arcadians, meaning half the room, and even some Katagaria. Arion looked delighted.

"What!" snapped Dante and Paris together, Jasyn pulled Emily behind him.

"He just told you that his mate didn't know what she was doing!" Fury growled.

"And what about all the crimes he has committed before!" demanded the Arcadian hawk representative.

"Jasyn's past is not on trial here," Vane's deep voice sounded through the room, "besides considering that none of us here have a squeaky clean record, I suggest only he - or she - without sin cast the first stone, if you get my drift."

"Timely reference," Fury said with a smirk, Vane shrugged and simply said 'Bride', Fury nodded and the wolves were silent.

Savitar shook his head at them before speaking to the room, "let it be known also that Jasyn was never bought to trial or convicted of any past transgressions, therefore it should not effect your judgement now. If it does I will overrule any verdicts this court comes to."

Jasyn looked up at Savitar in shock but gave him a grateful nod which Savitar returned stiffly.

"Vote again?" Paris Sebastienne suggested and Savitar spoke once more.

"All those in favour of a guilty verdict?"

Arcadian hands went up once more minus the Katagaria hands of last time, Emily leaned into him.

"What happens if it's a hung jury?" she whispered worriedly, Jasyn shook his head in a you-don't- want-to-know gesture, Emily blanched. Should there be a hung jury it was likely Jasyn would have to fight his way out of it.

"All opposed?"

All Katagaria hands went up, Lysander, Paris, Dante, Vane (who was technically Arcadian but Jasyn wasn't picking bones right now), Fury, Alain (who was filling in for his recently deceased mother, but hadn't been elected), Wren and then a hand from the wrong side of the table. Damos Kattalakis, Arcadian, Sentinel, Dragonswain, cousin to Vane, put his hand up in favour of acquitting Jasyn. There was hissing from his Arcadian brethren but he took no notice, he calmly lowered his hand with the rest.

"Interesting," commented Savitar drolly before hammering down the proverbial gavel and dismissing the case, telling Jasyn he was free to go. The reps flashed themselves out and Jasyn breathed a sigh of relief, he turned to see Emily beaming at him, Jasyn pulled her close and fused his mouth to hers because he had to. After coming so close to be ripped from one another, the relief made him sentimental and weak before her, though no one but he needed to know that. He pulled back to pass a shit-eating grin over her shoulder to Arion who was looking incensed, almost as if he were going to walk over to them, but it was more then he dared to do in Savitar's sacred house. Emily looked over at him and sneered, the days when he may have been able to con her into believing Jasyn a murderer were gone.

"Go ahead and hide behind your woman, Jasyn!" Arion goaded, "Sanctuary's finished and you won't be able to hide away from justice anymore!"

"If you wanted me so badly why not call me out," Jasyn retorted sharply, "kill me with some courage like a real warrior, not get the Omegrion to do it for you."

Arion glowered fiercely.

"I can't believe how low you've stooped!" Jasyn sneered bitterly, "calling me out, back to Bulgaria and then sending out hatchling assassins to hunt me for you."

"What?" Arion looked genuinely confused and affronted, "I would never send another to fight my battles!"

"You think I would believe that after all this!" Jasyn spat, his arms wide to encompass the room which was what Arion was to take to mean 'all this'.

"All is fair in love and war," Arion said plainly, his eyes sliding to Emily who cringed. Jealousy flared inside Jasyn and he stepped forward menacingly thinking only of attacking the Arcadian, Arion did the same but before they reached each other an unseen force held them immobile.

"Jasyn!" Emily cried, distressed.

"There will be no fighting in my house!" Savitar growled and both men stopped trying to fight the force that bound them, for Savitar's word was law.

"Incidentally," Savitar continued much more calmly, though not yet releasing them, "should that tape resurface again, we all know who actually has it now. Perhaps you'll do a better job of getting rid of the thing."

Arion said nothing and flashed himself away as soon as Savitar released him, Savitar shook his head and turned his attention to Emily.

"I believe you wanted to see me about something?" he inquired so politely that Jasyn had to wonder if the guy was feeling okay. Savitar spared him a dirty look before proffering his arm to Emily and leading her away from Jasyn, Jasyn immediately began to follow, his territorial urges kicking in but Emily smiled over her shoulder at him and shook her head. When she returned Jasyn was glowering at them both.

"Why are you being so nice?" he said rudely to Savitar who grinned wickedly.

"First impressions are important, hawk," was all he said and flashed himself somewhere, leaving Jasyn and Emily alone.

"Going to fill me in?" he asked with sarcastic politeness and Emily just grinned, she put her arms around his neck and sighed.

"Home first, talk later."


	22. Chapter 22

"What are you grinning at?" Emily asked, looking up into Jasyn's smug, smirking face. He's grin grew wider until it looked like it would break his face, he slide a sidelong look towards her before tilting his head towards her.

"Last night," he whispered and Emily blushed, giving him a painless smack on the ass. Jasyn pushed away from the elaborate mantel piece which he was leaning against, he noted Emily's anxiously expectant face and decided he'd kept her on tender hooks look enough. He nodded slowly and Emily beamed, Jasyn let his eyes scan the house.

"Its good," he commented, tapping his knuckles against the walls and door frame as he leisurely pursued the room.

"Well, I guess that is that's as good as I am going to get from you," Emily rolled her eyes at him but was looking very pleased. Jasyn grinned wickedly and caught her about the waist, dragging her close to him, he leaned down and kissed her gently on the tip of the nose.

"Its very good," Jasyn said quietly, he leaned his forehead against Emily's, "all because of you."

"And you," Emily quickly insisted, Jasyn smiled softly, his emerald eyes glowing when he looked at his mate. Ever since she'd come up with this idea and put her project into motion, she'd made sure Jasyn was included every step of the way. Jasyn looked over Emily's head to the window, it stared out on to a beautiful expanse of meadow and woodland, just the right place for wild things.

"This isn't going to be easy," Jasyn said for the five hundredth time, Emily shrugged.

"When has getting what you want ever been easy?" she answered simply and Jasyn nodded.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Jasyn asked, it was the only thing he said more then 'I love you'.

"I've got what I want," Emily muttered, staring up at him lovingly, "anything else is a bonus. But is this what you want?"

Jasyn just grinned evilly and slipped a pair of sunglasses on his eyes, "c'mon sartas, let's roll."

Emily laughed and shrugged into her leather jacket that Jasyn had given her, she wasn't much of a biker girl but she'd adapted to his style and found she rather liked it. Holding hands they flashed themselves to New Orleans.

Standing before Sanctuary Emily wanted to cry, it was damaged by the destruction they'd seen in the battle but even more so by the loss of life. Jasyn put his arm around Emily, feeling her sorrow made it hard for him to focus on acting like a bad ass.

"You okay?" Jasyn whispered, Emily nodded and they walked in threw Sanctuary's doors like a team, their clasped hands swinging between them. People turned in their seats to see the sexy, beautiful couple that looked like they were made for one another. Margie glanced up to see who the new customer was and shrieked in shock, she dashed around the bar. She seized Emily in a tight hug, babbling out a stream of 'oh my gosh's' and 'so great to see you's'. When she pulled back Emily watched Margie's eyes slide to Jasyn then back to her.

"So it ended well?" Margie said with a happy grin.

"No, it's starting well," Jasyn corrected quickly, he stroked Emily's hair with love in his eyes, "the end isn't in sight for us yet."

Margie eyed Jasyn in awe, she'd never been spoken to by the guy before, then she passed Emily a 'you've bagged a good one here, girl' look.

"Damn!"

All three looked around saw Colt standing at the bar staring, Jasyn nodded to Margie, leaving the women to chat and sauntered over to the bar.

"You're back?" Colt asked uncertainly.

"Not for long," Jasyn said with a shrug, finding that his animosity for the sentinel substantially diminished.

"Alain told us it was a close call at the Omegrion."

"It was."

Colt nodded, he was the type of bear that would hold his hand out to most people, even those who were marginal enemies. But Jasyn for all his faults had stood beside the bears and sanctuary when everything went to hell and that went further then a lot of people could have guessed.

"I'm glad it turned out okay for you, Jasyn."

Jasyn quirked a brow above the rim of his glasses.

"You are?" he asked almost amused, "much obliged."

Colt's eyes slid past Jasyn to Emily and Margie, he smirked.

"Are you and she …?"

Jasyn allowed himself to grin and nodded, the trace of an evil chuckle buried in his voice, "yes, we are."

Then he did something that shocked Colt to the very core of his being, something that Jasyn would never have imagined himself doing. He held out his hand to the bear, he waited five long seconds before Colt jerked out of his shock and, nervously wiping his hand on his jeans, took Jasyn's hand.

Jasyn felt Emily by his side and he looked down on her, Colt released his hand so that Jasyn could take Emily's.

"Hey, pretty lady," Colt said kindly, Emily beamed and then her smile became sad.

"Hey Colt," she said softly, "I'm sorry about Mama Lo and Papa."

Colt gave her a appreciative nod and moved away to serve other customers, Jasyn tightened his hand around Emily's.

"Shall we do this then?" Jasyn asked and Emily nodded, Jasyn led her out back, past Remi who gave them as warm a greeting as you could expect from the ornery bear. Though Jasyn was surprised that the guy actually cracked a smile when he saw Emily. Even some of the human staff came out from the kitchen to say hello to Emily, Emily knew that Jasyn was beginning to grow irritable with all the attention she was getting from male employees as well as females, so she quickly extracted herself and said goodbye.

"What?" she asked defensively when she saw his face.

"When did you have to meet all of those people anyway?" Jasyn groused and Emily shook her head in exasperation. They flashed themselves upstairs to Carson's surgery and walked in.

Carson looked up from his desk and stood up, he looked uncomfortable, Emily felt the same but Jasyn was gloating. Carson sneered when Jasyn pointedly pulled Emily into his side, Emily gave a wan smile.

"How are you, Carson?" she asked kindly.

"Rather surprised to see you," Carson replied truthfully, "when you first told me of your plans …I have to say I was sceptical."

"I know its rather ambitious for someone who has so little knowledge of … well, everything."

"Its not you I was sceptical about," Carson said pointedly and Jasyn merely raised an arrogant eyebrow, "you, I have complete faith in."

"Really?" Emily practically glowed, Jasyn cleared his throat and Emily tried to stop looking so pleased with herself.

"Of course," Carson continued as if Jasyn were an unseen part of the furniture, "I cannot think of anyone more qualified."

"I bet you can't," Jasyn snarled belligerently, Carson paused in flicking through his paper work to glance up at Jasyn. Emily turned to her mate and gave him a stern look, Carson watched as they had a completely silent argument with their eyes. Finally Jasyn shrugged as if he was yielding to her wishes, abruptly he swept her into his arms and planted a fierce and utterly territorial kiss on her lips before stalking out of the room.

When Emily turned back to Carson he was busy fluttering with his paperwork, Emily quickly wiped her wet lips. He was hardly able to miss the redness on her lips caused by Jasyn's stubble which she loved, but the wetness there would have been adding insult to injury, and she really didn't want to make things harder for the guy.

"So you and Jasyn, huh?" Carson said softly, still not meeting her eyes, Emily gave a light hearted shrug.

"Yeah, guess so," she stuck her hands in her pockets, feeling the awkwardness of the situation grinding on her.

"Was this whole thing your idea?" Carson asked, settling on the lip of his desk, his arms crossed over his chest. The question wasn't as clinical as he'd wished it to be and Emily could see there were things Carson was desperate to say to her, she just hoped they wrapped this up before he plucked up the courage.

"It was my idea and Jasyn went along with it," Emily said, "but he is enthusiastic about it, almost as much as I am."

"A different idea though," Carson commented, "a Were-Hunter orphanage."

"I couldn't believe no one had thought of it before. It was you and Jasyn that gave me the idea, and cub too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Emily replied happily, she loved talking about her new project to anyone who would listen, Jasyn even said she'd been talking about it in her sleep. "I mean, I had to fend for myself. Jasyn was left on his own and then what you told me about clans not protecting their young. I think it would take care of the exposure problem by young Weres. And, most importantly, it will give young Weres a safe environment for them to grow up in. With any luck we might be able to put an end to this stupid war with this."

Carson smiled sadly as if he thought she were a dreamer, "doubtful, Emily. The war will always be, ask Jasyn."

"Jasyn thinks we can do anything," Emily replied coolly and Carson looked shocked that anything so idealistic could come out of Jasyn's mouth.

"Well," Carson sighed heavily, he held out a piece of crumpled paper, "this is a phone number of another were doctor. She's extremely good but a little hard-headed."

"I like her already," Emily laughed, taking the paper gratefully, "do you know her/"

"We've met. She's Arcadian and she always thinks she's right. We argued a lot."

Emily laughed and gave Carson a kind look, she stepped forward and leaned in, placing a chaste kiss on Carson's warm cheek. When she pulled back she saw he had his eyes closed, when he opened them they were so full of emotion that Emily had to look away, she back stepped quickly.

"Forgive me if that was inappropriate or hurtful to you, Carson," Emily apologised primly, "its just you've been so kind to me …"

"Do you think you and he will last?" Carson asked directly and Emily sighed, she held up her marked palm.

"We're in it for life now."

Carson gave a soft laugh and nodded, he walked around his desk and began to straighten piles of papers and push them in drawers.

"I just never thought this was he's gig, y'know. Looking after young. He's a very selfish individual, Emily."

Emily gave him a hard look before turning to leave, she recognised his words as a warning. Emily didn't bother to contradict Carson because the young hawks mind was too long made up, she knew the truth of Jasyn and it was all she needed. Just as Emily reached the door she stopped and turned, Carson was watching her leave.

"It wasn't purely altruistic on my side either," she said quietly, "the orphanage, I mean. The orphanage has the same protection under Omegrion law as a Limani, that way Jasyn will always be safe."

Carson said nothing and Emily nodded to him, then a thought occurred to her.

"Has anyone claimed the tiger cubs yet?" she asked urgently.

"Their clan did, but reluctantly," Carson admitted, Emily nodded and took out a card from her pocket, she left it on a side table where Carson kept the syringes.

"You know where I am if they need me."

With that she walked into the hallway where Jasyn was, he stood straight backed against the wall, looking menacing but calm at the same time. Emily wasn't fooled, she knew he'd listened to every word exchanged between Carson and herself.

"Ready to go?" Emily asked him, Jasyn nodded but didn't move, instead he pulled her closer until she was leaning her body against his hard frame. He pushed her head to his chest and held her there, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her. He didn't know how to say how he felt, he wished he could because he felt she needed to know just how much he would do for her.

"Home?" he asked, her hair brushing his lips, tickling them.

"Yes please," Emily whispered back and they flashed themselves out of Sanctuary and to their new home, a refuge for all but especially for Jasyn who had never felt more at peace or more loved.


End file.
